Podcasts about Merck

Disclosures:Dr. Creech has disclosures of grant funding from NIH, CDC, Moderna, Pfizer and has been a consultant for Merck, Sanofi Paseur, TD. Cowen. Guidepoint Global, GSK, Delbiopharm, Dianthus, AstraZenecka and receives royalties from UpToDateWebsites:Philadelphia Children's Hospital Vaccine Education & ResourcesVUMC Children's Immunization GuideAAPRecommended Books:Anxious Generation: How The Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, Jonathan HaidtRighteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion, Jonathan HaidtKey TakeawaysRSV prevention now includes both maternal vaccination during third trimester and monoclonal antibodies for infants, both showing 60-80% reduction in hospitalizationsHepatitis B vaccine is fundamentally a cancer prevention tool, and the birth dose is recommended at population level to prevent missed cases even when individual risk appears lowCocooning newborns through family immunization for influenza, pertussis, RSV, and measles is critical as community vaccination rates declineEffective vaccine conversations require avoiding shame and blame, expressing intellectual humility, asking "why" to understand concerns, and providing trusted resources rather than just educationThe future of vaccine development includes improved flu vaccines requiring less frequent administration, alternative delivery methods (intranasal, oral, microneedles), and advanced tools to understand rare adverse eventsWhile vaccine-preventable diseases like measles are increasing in pockets of under-vaccinated communities, maintaining high vaccination rates is essential to prevent widespread outbreaks of highly contagious diseasesParents face significant peer pressure around vaccine decisions, and healthcare providers should acknowledge this while modeling respectful dialogue with those who disagreeQuotable Moments"What is hepatitis B vaccine? It's a cancer prevention vaccine period. It prevents liver cancer. Why would I not want a cancer preventing vaccine?""An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure rather than knowing how to treat meningitis really effectively. Wouldn't it be great if we could prevent it all together?""I think we need to recognize that we probably want the same thing, except in extraordinarily weird situations. We both want the health of that child.""I recognize that there is still much to learn about these things, but here's where I land.""Vaccines and your baby's health, that's just more complicated than 140 characters.""Measles is the second most contagious virus on the planet behind smallpox, which is eradicated. So it's the first most...

Good morning from Pharma Daily: the podcast that brings you the most important developments in the pharmaceutical and biotech world. Today, we explore a series of significant shifts in the industry, marked by leadership changes, scientific advancements, strategic partnerships, and regulatory challenges.Starting with Sanofi, a notable leadership transition has taken place as Paul Hudson steps down from his role as CEO. Belen Garijo from Merck KGaA has stepped into this pivotal role. Her appointment is part of a broader industry trend toward diversifying leadership, especially with more women leading top-tier pharmaceutical companies. The implications of this shift could be profound for Sanofi, potentially stabilizing its operations and revitalizing its research pipeline. Stakeholders are keenly observing how this new leadership might steer Sanofi through complex market dynamics.In regulatory news, Moderna has encountered a significant hurdle with the FDA declining to review its next-generation mRNA flu vaccine. This decision has sparked an ongoing public dialogue between Moderna and U.S. health regulators, underscoring the complexities involved in navigating regulatory pathways for novel mRNA technologies beyond their initial success with COVID-19 vaccines. The Department of Health and Human Services has supported the FDA's decision, emphasizing the critical importance of meticulous scrutiny when it comes to new vaccine platforms. This development highlights the challenges biotech companies face in ensuring compliance with stringent regulatory standards.Financial updates reveal CSL experiencing a sharp decline in net profits, dropping from $2 billion to $384 million year-over-year. This financial downturn has been linked to strategic missteps or operational inefficiencies within the company, prompting a change in leadership. Such shifts reflect broader challenges faced by companies within the biotech sector as they strive to maintain financial stability amid fluctuating market conditions.In contrast, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has reported its first profitable year despite underwhelming sales figures for its drug Amvuttra in the ATTR-CM market. This milestone is significant for Alnylam as it demonstrates resilience and the potential to pivot successfully amidst market uncertainties. However, the company will need to remain vigilant about revenue streams and market dynamics moving forward.Turning to advertising strategies, Johnson & Johnson's Tremfya continues to buck industry trends by maintaining a strong presence in television advertising through 2026. This strategy is noteworthy given the general decline in traditional media spending across the industry. J&J's commitment highlights its determination to sustain market share against competitors such as AbbVie's Rinvoq and Skyrizi.On the strategic front, Takeda Pharmaceuticals is consolidating its U.S. operations by reducing its Boston presence. By subleasing over 630,000 square feet of office space, Takeda aims to streamline operations and concentrate resources on key development projects at its new Cambridge hub. This move reflects broader industry trends towards operational efficiency and resource optimization.In clinical advancements, BridgeBio has reached a promising milestone with successful Phase 3 trial results for infigratinib in treating dwarfism. This breakthrough offers new therapeutic options for children affected by this condition and exemplifies ongoing innovations in genetic medicine. The success of this trial positions BridgeBio on a path toward regulatory approval, potentially transforming care for patients with limited treatment options.Agilent has achieved FDA approval for its companion diagnostic test alongside Merck's Keytruda for ovarian cancer treatment. This approval highlights the growing importance of precision medicine in oncology, where tailored treatments based on individual paSupport the show

In this podcast episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with Alaina Love about her book, PERMISSION TO BE YOU: Discover Your Purpose And Passions To Bring Your Best Self To Everything – And Everyone. Alaina Love is CEO of Purpose Linked Consulting and a sought-after expert who coaches leaders and their teams on defining their purpose and using their passions to build healthy, productive workplaces and flourish in daily life. She is co-author of the bestselling book The Purpose Linked Organization and was formerly a research scientist and the executive director of global human resources at Merck & Co., Inc. Love is a graduate of the University of Michigan's Change Leadership Program, studied medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, and holds a degree in medical technology from Monmouth University. Certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources, Love is a member of Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches. An avid leadership thinker, she has written for Bloomberg Business Week, The Washington Post, and Harvard Business Review. Love lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Check out all of the podcasts in the HCI Podcast Network!

Good morning from Pharma Daily: the podcast that brings you the most important developments in the pharmaceutical and biotech world. In today's episode, we delve into the dynamic landscape of these industries, exploring ambitious strategic plans, regulatory hurdles, scientific breakthroughs, and emerging trends that are shaping the future of healthcare.Let's begin with AstraZeneca, which has set an ambitious target to achieve $80 billion in revenue by 2030. This goal reflects their intention to bring over 25 blockbuster drugs to market, underscoring a commitment to innovation and expansion in their therapeutic portfolio. The focus on cutting-edge research is not just a strategy for growth but also a sign of the broader industry trend where large pharmaceutical companies pursue high-value targets to strengthen their market positions. AstraZeneca is also making strides in the weight-loss market with its new candidate elecoglipron, undergoing an extensive late-stage program to evaluate its efficacy as a monotherapy and in combination treatments for various indications. This development positions AstraZeneca competitively in the burgeoning sector, offering a novel therapeutic option for obesity management.Meanwhile, CSL Limited is undergoing a leadership transition. CEO Paul McKenzie has stepped down under pressure, and Gordon Naylor has been appointed as interim chief. This change highlights the critical role of strategic leadership in navigating industry challenges and maintaining growth trajectories amidst a rapidly shifting market landscape.In a display of financial success, Novartis reported a record-breaking performance for 2025. This achievement led to a 30% increase in CEO Vas Narasimhan's compensation, reaching $32 million. The company's robust financial health is attributed to advancing innovative treatments targeting unmet medical needs, emphasizing how achieving innovation milestones can significantly enhance corporate valuation and leadership rewards.Incyte is preparing for the patent expiration of its blood cancer drug Jakafi in 2028 by focusing on Opzelura, a topical cream that has witnessed a 33% sales increase from the previous year. With sales reaching $678 million, Opzelura's success highlights Incyte's strategic pivot to diversify its product offerings and mitigate risks associated with patent cliffs. This exemplifies how companies must continuously innovate and adapt to maintain competitive advantages.Moderna has entered into a long-term agreement with Mexico to ensure local mRNA vaccine supply through technology transfer to Laboratorios Liomont. This partnership extends Moderna's global footprint and underscores the critical role of mRNA technology in pandemic preparedness and vaccine accessibility, reinforcing its transformative impact on public health strategies.Regulatory landscapes have also seen notable activity. The FDA issued untitled letters concerning potentially misleading drug advertisements from companies like Novo Nordisk, Argenx, and Sobi. Such actions emphasize regulatory vigilance in marketing practices. Additionally, Lilly's Kinsunla failed to secure approval in Scotland, while Regenxbio faced rejection for its gene therapy for Hunter syndrome. These regulatory hurdles highlight the rigorous oversight pharma companies face and the complex pathways drugs must navigate before market approval.Collaborations within the industry are proving crucial for innovation. Merck's collaboration with Calla Lily Clinical Care aims to enhance delivery systems for vaginal therapeutics. Similarly, Bristol Myers Squibb's partnership with Evinova focuses on integrating AI into clinical development processes. These alliances reflect an industry-wide emphasis on leveraging technology to improve drug delivery efficiency and streamline clinical trial operations.Shifting our focus now to scientific advancements and clinical trial results that aSupport the show

Send us a text and chime in!Could a simple text message help prevent a cancer diagnosis? Naomi Lee hopes so. With 5,000 in funding from Merck & Co., Lee, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at NAU, is developing a text message campaign that will raise awareness of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among historically underserved Arizonans, including people from rural and Native American backgrounds who suffer from some of the highest rates of cancers caused by the virus. “I've seen a major disparity between Indigenous people and other groups when it comes to cancers overall, and especially HPV-associated cancers,” Lee said.... For the written story, read here >> https://www.signalsaz.com/articles/nau-researcher-tests-text-messages-to-boost-hpv-vaccines/Check out the CAST11.com Website at: https://CAST11.com Follow the CAST11 Podcast Network on Facebook at: https://Facebook.com/CAST11AZFollow Cast11 Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/cast11_podcast_network

Send a textOver the past few years, artificial intelligence has rapidly entered drug discovery — but one of the true “holy grail” challenges inside pharma is no longer just predicting what proteins look like, but understanding how molecules actually interact: how proteins bind drugs, antibodies, RNA, and each other, and how those insights can guide better decisions long before anything reaches the lab.Early breakthroughs in structure prediction made protein models widely accessible, but real biology happens at interfaces, in motion, and often in fleeting conformations that determine whether a therapy ultimately succeeds or fails. Today's conversation explores what it means to move into this next chapter — where structural predictions are translated into actionable insight for real-world drug development.Joining us are two scientists from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany ( https://www.emdgroup.com/en ), working at the intersection of protein structure prediction, molecular dynamics, and generative design, helping to build internal platforms that turn computational models into practical decision tools for therapeutic discovery.Dr. Stephanie Linker, Ph.D. is a Senior Computational Biochemist in Merck's Group Digital Innovation unit, where she leads initiatives in generative antibody design, de novo protein binder development, and advanced structure prediction platforms. Her work focuses on how molecular shape, flexibility, and dynamics influence whether a designed molecule actually performs in biological systems.Dr. Philipp Schnee, Ph.D. is a Computational Protein Design expert at Merck KGaA, currently part of the GoGlobal Data & AI rotation program. His research bridges high-resolution molecular dynamics simulations with experimental biochemistry to understand protein function, mutation effects, and mechanisms that can be leveraged for enzyme engineering and inhibitor design.Together, their work reflects a broader shift happening across the pharmaceutical industry — away from static structures and standalone models, and toward integrated platforms that combine folding, binding, ranking, and experimental validation to guide smarter, faster therapeutic decisions.In this episode, we explore what these next-generation tools can do today, where their limitations remain, and why the ability to move from structure prediction to decision-ready insight may become one of the most important frontiers in modern drug discovery.AI drug discovery, protein structure prediction, computational biology, biologics design, pharmaceutical R&D#DrugDiscovery #ArtificialIntelligence #AlphaFold #ProteinFolding#Biotech #PharmaInnovation #ComputationalBiology #StructuralBiology #AIinHealthcare #AntibodyEngineering #MolecularDynamics #FutureOfMedicine #SystemsBiology #LifeSciences #ProgressPotentialPossibilities #MachineLearning #BioTechPodcastSupport the show

Can you really deliver speed, quality, and cost in construction—without tradeoffs? In this episode of Construction Genius, Eric Anderton sits down with Ryan Teicher, CEO of REDCOM Design & Construction, to unpack how a fully integrated design-build model eliminates silos, accelerates delivery, and aligns teams around client outcomes. Ryan explains how bringing architecture, engineering, estimating, and construction under one roof leads to faster decisions, fewer conflicts, and better cost control. The conversation dives into early design consulting as a risk filter, sales as true client advocacy, maintaining client intent from concept through construction, and why strong leaders must be willing to walk away from the wrong projects. This is a practical, no-BS conversation about design-build done right, along with CEO-level insights on leadership, culture, and scaling a construction company.  

What does it really mean to become unshakable when your career, your family life, and the world around you all feel uncertain at the same time? In this episode of Becoming Unshakable, I sat down with Christine Ann Miller for a conversation that stayed with me long after we stopped recording. From the very first question, Christine grounds resilience in something more profound than grit or endurance. She shares how becoming unshakable is tied to purpose, faith, and the courage to stay anchored to who you are, even when the path forward is unclear. Christine takes us through her journey as a Jamaican American leader, the first in her family born in the United States, and how growing up around healthcare shaped her desire to solve meaningful problems.  From discovering chemical engineering through an encyclopedia to interning at Merck and dedicating more than three decades to developing medicines that save and improve lives, her story is rooted in service, curiosity, and conviction. She reflects on why purpose matters more than titles and why alignment, not momentum, is what sustains a long career.   The heart of this episode centers on a defining crossroads. Christine shares what it was like to leave a senior role with no next job lined up, only to have the world shut down weeks later during the pandemic. We talk openly about fear, faith, rest, and the discipline of self-leadership when everything familiar disappears. She explains how grounding practices like prayer, meditation, journaling, community, and intentional rest helped her stay receptive to what came next, rather than rushing to force an answer. We also explore the role of support systems, from coaches and therapists to family and trusted friends, and why resilience is rarely built alone. Christine offers thoughtful guidance for anyone who feels like they are barely holding it together right now, reminding us that breathing, connection, service, and reflection are not small acts when life feels heavy. As you listen, consider where you might be rushing past the very pause that could help you hear what is next for you. When things feel shaky in your own life or leadership, what enables you to stay grounded long enough to recognize the opportunity that may already be on its way?  

Three years ago I interviewed my friend and occasional ACL contributor Gabe Bogart for Episode 29, our anniversary episode. We had such a good time we talked about doing a podcast called SLEPT ON IT, and so I sat on this episode for years, waiting for us to get off our asses and make it happen. No one ever asked why episode 30 was missing, so it feels right for an episode with this title to turn up years later. We discuss adventurous listening, the dangers of nostalgia, the hip hop renaissance of the 2020s, and much more. Happy Listening!Support: Patreon, PayPal, BandcampEpisode 30: SLEPT ON IT - with Gabe Bogart (or, BEATS RHYMES AFTERLIFE)Interview recorded between Montreal and Seattle, January 2023Produced and mixed in Montreal, June 2023 (and February 2026)LINKSEpisode 29 - CRITICAL POSITIVITYHip Hop Instrumentals Mix (Part I, Part II)Gabelicious Thee Most Delicious Mix Fart Un MixMurcof ~ The Alias SessionsTRACKLISTARTIST – “TITLE” (YEAR)Cannibal Ox (prod. by El-P), “Ox Out the Cage” (2002)SP INTROFranco Battiato, “Hey Joe” (2001)Os Mutantes, “Hey Joe” [1973] (1992)Robert Plant & Band of Joy, “Hey Joe (Live)” (2003)Lee Moses, Hey Joe (1971)Sparklehorse, “Hey, Joe” (1998)Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe” (1967)Armand Hammer (prod. Andrew Broder), “Frida (Instrumental)” (2023)Knxwledge (ft. Quelle Chris), “Ladibird” (2013)Jean Grae & Quelle Chris, “My Contribution To This Scam” (Everything's Fine, Mello, 2018)Quelle Chris, “Peace & Pain” (Lullabies For The Broken Brain, Mello, 2016)Dday One, “Mouth 2 Mouth” (Journal, Content (L)abel, 2009)Open Mike Eagle (prod. Quelle Chris), “Burner Account (feat. Armand Hammer)” (Component System With The Auto Reverse, Auto Reverse, 2022)Indelible MC's (prod. by El-P), “The Fire In Which You Burn (Instrumental)” (Fire In Which You Burn / Collude Intrude, Rawkus, 1997)billy woods (prod by Preservation), “Versailles (ft. Despot)” (Aethiopes, Backwoodz, 2022)Armand Hammer (prod by Messiah Musik), “Pakistani Brain”  (Rome, Backwoodz, 2017)Armand Hammer (prod. By August Fanon), “Microdose (feat. Quelle Chris)” (Rome, Backwoodz, 2017)Armand Hammer (prod. By The Alchemist), “Chicharonnes (feat. Quelle Chris)”  (Haram, Backwoodz, 2021)Quelle Chris, “DEATHFAME” (DEATHFAME, Mello, 2022)Metal Fingers, “untitled (meditation)” (Special Herbs Volume 9 & 0, Shaman Work, 2005)Dak, “Hunch” (Standthis, Leaving, 2009)Goodie Mob, “Free” (Soul Food, LaFace, 1995) Aesop Rock, “Button Masher (Instrumental)” (Spirit World Field Guide (Instrumentals), RhymeSayers, 2022)Outkast, “Rosa Parks (Instrumental)” (Aquemini (Instrumental), LaFace, 1998)DAK, “Rosaparks Is 12th St” (Youstandit / Leftrecord, Leaving, 2012)Outkast, “Chonkyfire” (Aquemini (Instrumental), LaFace, 1998)Good Mob, “I Didn't Ask To Come” (Soul Food, LaFace, 1995) Dak, “lookup”  (Standthis, Leaving, 2009)Public Enemy, “Rebel Without A Pause (Instrumental)” (Rebel Without A Pause, DefJam, 1987)Public Enemy, “Bring The Noise (No Noise Instrumental)” (Bring The Noise (No Noise Version), DefJam, 1987)RJD2, “Big Game” (In Rare Form (Unreleased Instrumentals), Bustown, 2004)Gravediggaz, “6 Feet Deep” (6 Feet Deep, Gee Street, 1994)Wu-Tang Clan (prod. by RZA), “Bring the Ruckus (instrumental)” [1993] (Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) Instrumentals, Loud, 2008)Raekwon Featuring Tony Starks  (prod. by RZA), “Criminology (instrumental)” (Criminology / Glaciers Of Ice, Loud, 1995)Viktor Vaughn (prod. By RJD2), “Saliva (Loop)”  (In Rare Form (Unreleased Instrumentals), Bustown, 2004)Deru, “I Don't Know You” (Trying To Remember, Merck, 2004)Deaf Center, “Time Spent” (Owl Splinters, Type, 2011)Svarte Greiner, “Devolve” (Devolving Trust, Miashmah, 2022)Murcof, “between thoughts” (The Alias Sessions, Leaf, 2021)Metal Fingers, “Camphor” (Special Herbs Vol. 7 & 8, Shaman Work, 2004)Blockhead, “Insomniac Olympics” (Music By Cavelight, Ninja Tune, 2004)

Jane Hyun is the leading authority for leveraging culture and differences to drive innovation. Often called an "interpreter," she has been a trusted coach for over 20 years to thousands of leaders at Fortune 500 companies including PepsiCo, Clorox, Merck, and USGA, as well as schools and nonprofits, guiding their growth by building their cross-cultural capability. She is the pioneering author of Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: Leadership Toolkit for Asians and the co-author of Flex: The New Playbook for Managing Across Differences. Through her Cultural Fluency in Leadership Project, Jane enjoys helping leaders forge stronger teams by closing the gaps that get in the way of growth and collaboration.She has been featured on CNN, CNBC, and NPR and has written for Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, and The Wall Street Journal on the topics of culture, career development, and onboarding. As a sought-after speaker, Jane has keynoted at Microsoft, ESPN, the International Coaches Federation (ICF), and the Conferences for Women. Recently, Jane received the Marshall Goldsmith 50 Leading Global Coaches Award as the #1 Coach for Cultural Fluency and the NAAAP Vision 100 Award.Her life's calling is to help others flourish in their workplaces and in their communities.In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to build a meaningful, sustainable consulting practice by leveraging cultural fluency and staying true to your values.Jane and I discuss:Jane's career journey from corporate to consulting [03:02]How Jane developed her cultural fluency specialty [05:27]Assessing and improving cultural fluency in leaders [08:32]How Jane's business has evolved over 20 years [12:31]The importance of saying no to the wrong clients [14:45]The role of community and peer support in business growth [17:42]Integrating personal and professional life as an entrepreneur [19:35]The strategic importance of rest and self-care [22:11]Seeing growth as an iterative process [24:00]Learn more about Jane at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-hyun?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app , https://www.instagram.com/janehyun_author/, and Substack ______________________________________________________________About Smashing the PlateauSmashing the Plateau shares stories and strategies from corporate refugees: mid-career professionals who've left corporate life to build something of their own.Each episode features a candid conversation with someone who has walked this path or supports those who do. Guests offer real strategies to help you build a sustainable, fulfilling business on your terms, with...

Treatment is a significant part of overcoming breast cancer, but what about the mental, physical and emotional challenges this disease presents? Sarah Cipolla and Tawana Davis both relied on their faith to get through breast cancer. Through it all – the ups and downs and good times and setbacks – they had hope for better days and trusted in their faith. Hope and faith are powerful forces during challenging times. Susan G. Komen leads Worship in Pink, a nationwide program that brings breast health education to faith communities. Through this effort, Komen can reach people who don't participate in breast health care and people who rely on their faith to overcome life's challenges. Thanks to Merck and Novartis for supporting the Worship in Pink Program

How do top sales leaders stay on top in 2026? Seasoned National Sales Director Kristy McCracken shares her secrets.About This EpisodeIn this episode of Medical Sales U, I sit down with Kristy McCracken, a veteran leader in medical devices and biologics. From managing multi-million dollar revenues to leading national teams at companies like Essity and Merck, Kristy knows what it takes to win.We dive deep into:The "Always Learning" Mindset: Why high-level executives are returning to the basics to stay competitive.Modern Networking: How to use LinkedIn and AI to find common ground with hiring managers today.Leadership & Coaching: Kristy shares a powerful story of how she coached an underperforming rep back to success.The Future of Med-Tech: Balancing high-tech AI tools with the "human touch" that closes deals.Whether you are trying to break into medical sales or you're a seasoned pro looking to reinvent your role, Kristy's insights on persistence and "sharpening the saw" are essential listening. Key Moments (Timestamps)00:00 – Introduction: The greatest winners never stop learning.02:15 – Kristy's journey: 20 years in Pharma and Medical Devices.04:30 – Why even National Sales Directors need a "Professional Community."07:45 – Breaking in vs. Leveling up: What has changed in 2026?11:10 – Leadership Deep Dive: Coaching a rep through a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan).15:30 – Networking Secrets: How Kristy landed her latest role using Dave's strategies.19:20 – The Human Element: Asking the "follow-up" question.23:10 – Advice for the next generation of medical sales leaders.Resources & LinksConnect with Kristy McCracken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristy-mccracken/READY TO BREAK INTO MEDICAL SALES? We help professionals transition into top-tier medical sales roles: medicalsalesu.com/Kristy mentioned that "Persistence is Key." What is the biggest rejection you've faced in your career, and how did you bounce back? Let us know in the comments!If you found value in this talk, please: SUBSCRIBE for more interviews with industry leaders. LIKE this video to help other medical sales professionals find us. HIT THE BELL so you never miss a coaching session.#MedicalSales #Leadership #CareerGrowth #SalesCoaching #MedTech #MedicalSalesU #Networking2026

Audio roundup of selected biopharma industry content from Scrip over the business week ended February 60, 2026. This episode was produced with the help of AI text-to-voice and voice emulation tools. This time – Merck looks to fill Keytruda's shoes; Novartis aims to push through largest expiry period; Novo warns of steep sales decline; Pfizer bullish on obesity; and Lilly expects orforglipron success. Story links: https://insights.citeline.com/scrip/podcasts/scrips-five-must-know-things/quick-listen-scrips-five-must-know-things-JES32O67YRBSLC6UV2JFY5KPBQ/ Playlist: soundcloud.com/citelinesounds/sets/scrips-five-must-know-things

Dr. Pedro Barata and Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe discuss the evolving treatment landscape in gastroesophageal junction and gastric cancers, including the emergence of organ preservation as a selective therapeutic goal, as well as strategies to mitigate disparities in care. Dr. Maduekwe is the senior author of the article, "Organ Preservation for Gastroesophageal Junction and Gastric Cancers: Ready for Primetime?" in the 2026 ASCO Educational Book. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Pedro Barata: Hello, and welcome to By the Book, a podcast series from ASCO that features compelling perspectives from authors and editors of the ASCO Educational Book. I'm Dr. Pedro Barata. I'm a medical oncologist at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and an associate professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. I'm also the deputy editor of the ASCO Educational Book. Gastric and gastroesophageal cancers are the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Over the last decade, the treatment landscape has evolved tremendously, and today, organ preservation is emerging as an attainable but still selective therapeutic goal. Today, I'm delighted to be speaking with Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe, an associate professor of surgery and the director of regional therapies in the Division of Surgical Oncology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Maduekwe is also the last author of a fantastic paper in the 2026 ASCO Educational Book titled "Organ Preservation for Gastroesophageal Junction and Gastric Cancers: Ready for Prime Time?" We explore these questions in our conversations today.  Our full disclosures are available in the transcript of this episode as well. Welcome. Thank you for joining us today. Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: Thank you, Dr. Barata. I'm really, really glad to be here. Dr. Pedro Barata: There's been a lot of progress in the treatment of gastric and gastroesophageal cancers. But before we actually dive into some of the key take-home points from your paper, can you just walk us through how systemic therapy has emerged and actually allowed you to start thinking about a curative framework and really informing surgery decision-making? Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: Great, thank you. I'm really excited to be here and I love this topic because, I'm terrified to think of how long ago it was, but I remember in medical school, one of my formative experiences and why I got so interested in oncology was when the very first trials about imatinib were coming through, right? Looking at the effect, I remember so vividly having a lecture as a first-year or second-year medical student, and the professor saying, "This data about this particular kind of cancer is no longer accurate. They don't need bone marrow transplants anymore, they can just take a pill." And that just sounded insane. And we don't have that yet for GI malignancies. But part of what is the promise of precision oncology has always been to me that framework. That framework we have for people with CML who don't have a bone marrow transplant, they take a pill. For people with GIST. And so when we talk about gastric cancers and gastroesophageal cancers, I think the short answer is that systemic therapy has forced surgeons to rethink what "necessary" really means, right? We have the old age saying, "a chance to cut is a chance to cure." And when I started out, the conversation was simple. We diagnose the cancer, we take it out. Surgery's the default. But what's changed really over the last decade and really over the last five years is that systemic therapy has gotten good enough to do what is probably real curative work before we ever enter the operating room. So now when you see a patient whose tumor has essentially melted away on restaging, the question has to shift, right? It's no longer just, "Can I take this out?" It's "Has the biology already done the heavy lifting? Have we already given them systemic therapy, and can we prove it safely so that maybe we don't have to do what is a relatively morbid procedure?" And that shift is what has opened the door to organ preservation. Surgery doesn't disappear, but it becomes more discretionary. Necessary for the patients who need it, and within systems that can allow us to make sure that we're giving it to the right patients. Dr. Pedro Barata: Right, no, that makes total sense. And going back to the outcomes that you get with these systemic therapies, I mean, big efforts to find effective regimens or cocktails of therapies that allow us to go to what we call "complete response," right? Pathologic complete response, or clinical complete response, or even molecular complete response. We're having these conversations across different tumors, hematologic malignancies as well as solid tumors, right? I certainly have those conversations in the GU arena as well. So, when we think of pathologic CRs for GI malignancies, right? If I were to summarize the data, and please correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm not an expert in this area, the traditional perioperative chemo gives you pCRs, pathologic complete response, in the single digits. But then when you start getting smarter at identifying biologically distinct tumors such as microsatellite instability, for instance, now you start talking about pCRs over 50%. In other words, half of the patients' cancer goes away, it melts down by offering, in this case, immunotherapy as a backbone of that neoadjuvant. But first of all, this shift, right, from going from these traditional, "not smart" chemotherapy approaches to kind of biologically-driven approaches, and how important is pCR in the context of "Do I really need surgery afterwards?" Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: That's really the crux of the entire conversation, right? We can't proceed and we wouldn't be able to have the conversation about whether organ preservation is even plausible if we hadn't been seeing these rates of pathologic complete response. If there's no viable tumor left at resection, did surgery add something? Are we sure? The challenge before this was how frequently that happened. And then the next one is, as you've already raised, "Can we figure that out without operating?" In the traditional perioperative chemo era, pathologic complete response was relatively rare, like maybe one in twenty patients. When we go to more modern regimens like FLOT, it got closer to one in six. When you add immunotherapy in recent trials like MATTERHORN, it's nearly triple that rate. And it's worth noting here, I'm a health services-health disparities researcher, so we'll just pause here and note that those all sound great, but these landmark trials have significant representation gaps that limit and should inform how confidently we generalize these findings. But back to what you just said, right, the real inflection point is MSI-high disease where, with neoadjuvant dual-checkpoint blockade, trials like NEONIPIGAS and INFINITY show pCR rates that are approaching 50% to 60%. That's not incremental progress, that's a whole new different biological reality. What does that mean? If we're saying that 50% to 60% of the people we take to the OR at the time of surgery will end up having no viable tumor, man, did we need to do a really big surgery? But the problem right now is the gold standard, I think we would mostly agree, the gold standard is pathologic complete response, and we only know that after surgery. I currently tell my patients, right, because I don't want them to be like, "Wait, we did this whole thing." I'm like, "We're going to do this surgery, and my hope is that we're going to do the surgery and there will be no cancer left in your stomach after we take out your stomach." And they're like, "But we took out my stomach and you're saying it's a good thing that there's no cancer." And yes, right now that is true because it's a measure of the efficacy of their systemic therapy. It's a measure of the biology of the disease. But should we be acting on this non-operatively? To do that, we have to find a surrogate. And the surrogate that we have to figure out is complete clinical response. And that's where we have issues with the stomach. In esophageal cancer, the preSANO protocol, which we'll talk about a little bit, validated a structured clinical response evaluation. People got really high-quality endoscopies with bite-on biopsies. They got endoscopic ultrasounds. They got fine-needle aspirations and PET-CT, and adding all of those things together, the miss rate for substantial residual disease was about 10% to 15%. That's a number we can work with. In the stomach, it's a lot more difficult anatomically just given the shape of people's stomachs. There's fibrosis, there's ulceration. A fair number of stomach and GEJ cancers have diffuse histology which makes it difficult to localize and they also have submucosal spread. Those all conceal residual disease. I had a recent case where I scoped the patient during the case, and this person had had a 4 cm ulcer prior to surgery, and I scoped and there was nothing visible. And I was elated. And on the final pathology they had a 7 cm tumor still in place. It was just all submucosal. That's the problem. I'm not a gastroenterologist, but I would have said this was a great clinical response, but because it's gastric, there was a fair amount of submucosal disease that was still there. And our imaging loses accuracy after treatment. So the gap between what looks clean clinically and what's actually there pathologically remains very wide. So I think that's why we're trying to figure it out and make it cleaner. And outside of biomarker-selected settings like MSI-high disease, in general, I'm going to skip to the end and our upshot for the paper, which is that organ preservation, I would say for gastric cancer particularly, should remain investigational. I think we're at the point where the biology is increasingly favorable, but our means of measurement is not there yet. Dr. Pedro Barata: Gotcha. So, this is a perfect segue because you did mention the SANO, just to spell it out, "Surgery As Needed for Oesophageal" trial, so SANO, perfect, I love the abbreviation. It's really catchy. It's fantastic, it's actually a well-put-together perspective effort or program applying to patients. And can you tell us how was that put together and how does that work out for patients? Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: Yeah, I think for those of us in the GI space, we have SANO and then we also have the OPRA for rectum. SANO for the upper GI is what takes organ preservation from theory to something that's clinically credible. The trial asked a very simple question. If a patient with a GEJ adenocarcinoma or esophageal adenocarcinoma achieved what was felt to be a clinical complete response after chemoradiation, would they actually benefit from immediate surgery? And the question was, "Can you safely observe?" And the answer was 'yes'. You could safely observe, but only if you do it right. And what does that mean? At two years, survival with active surveillance was not inferior to those who received an immediate esophagectomy. And those patients had a better early quality of life. Makes sense, right? Your quality of life with an esophagectomy versus not is going to be different. That matters a lot when you consider what the long-term metabolic and functional consequences of an esophagectomy are. The weight loss, nutritional deficiencies that can persist for years. But SANO worked because it was very, very disciplined and not permissive. You mentioned rigor. They were very elegant in their approach and there was a fair amount of rigor. So there were two main principles. The first was that surveillance was front-loaded and intentional. So they had endoscopies with biopsies and imaging every three to four months in the first year and then they progressively spaced it out with explicit criteria for what constituted failure. And then salvage surgery was pre-planned. So, the return-to-surgery pathway was already rehearsed ahead of time. If disease reappeared, take the patient to the OR within weeks. Not sit, figure out what that means, think about it a little bit and debate next steps. They were very clear about what the plan was going to be. So they've given us this blueprint for, like, watching people safely. I think what's remarkable is that if you don't do that, if you don't have that infrastructure, then organ preservation isn't really careful. It's really hopeful. And that's what I really liked about the SANO trial, aside from, I agree, the name is pretty cool. Dr. Pedro Barata: Yeah, no, that's a fantastic point. And that description is spot on. I am thinking as we go through this, where can this be adopted, right? Because, not surprisingly, patients are telling you they're doing a lot better, right, when you don't get the esophagus out or the stomach out. I mean, that makes total sense. So the question is, you know, how do you see those issues related to the logistics, right? Getting the multi-disciplinary team, getting the different assessments of CR. I guess PETs, a lot of people are getting access to imaging these days. How close do you think this is, this kind of program, to be implemented? And maybe I would assume it might need to be validated in different settings, right, including the community. How close or how far do you think you see that being applied out there versus continuing to be a niche program, watch and wait program, in dedicated academic centers? Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: I love this question. So I said at the top of this, I'm a health equity/health disparities researcher, and this is where I worry the most. I love the science of this. I'm really excited about the science. I'm very optimistic. I don't think this is a question of "if," I think it's a question of "when." We are going to get to a point where these conversations will be very, very reasonable and will be options. One of the things I worry about is: who is it going to be an option for? Organ preservation is not just a treatment choice, and I think what you're pointing out very rightly is it's a systems-level intervention. Look at what we just said for SANO. Someone needs to be able to do advanced endoscopy, get the patients back. We have to have the time and space to come back every three to four months. We have to do molecular testing. There needs to be multi-disciplinary review. There needs to be intensive surveillance, and you need to have rapid access to salvage surgery. Where is that infrastructure? In this country, it's mostly in academic centers. I think about the panel we had at ASCO GI, which was fantastic. And as we were having the conversation, you know, we set it up as a debate. So folks were debating either pro-surveillance or pro-surgery. But both groups, both people, were presenting outcomes based on their centers. And it was folks who were fantastic. Dr. Molena, for example, from Memorial Sloan Kettering was talking about their outcomes in esophagectomies [during our session at GI26], but they do hundreds of these cases there per year. What's the reality in this country? 70% to 80% to 90%, depending on which data you look at, of the gastrectomies in the United States occur at low-volume hospitals. Most of the patients at those hospitals are disproportionately uninsured or on government insurance, have lower income and from racial and ethnic minority groups. So if we diffuse organ preservations without the system to support it, we're going to create a two-tiered system of care where whether you have the ability to preserve your organs, to preserve bodily integrity, depends on where you live and where you're treated. The other piece of this is the biomarker testing gap. One of the things that, as you pointed out at the beginning, that's really exciting is for MSI-high tumors. Those are the patients that are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy-based organ preservation. But here's the problem. If the patient isn't tested at time of initial diagnosis before they ever see me as a surgeon, the door to organ preservation is closed before it's ever open. And testing access remains very inconsistent across academic networks. And then there's the financial toxicity piece where, for gastrectomy, pancreatectomy, I do peritoneal malignancies, more than half of those patients experience significant financial toxicity related to their cancer treatment. We're now proposing adding at least two years, that's the preliminary information, right? It's probably going to be longer. At least a couple of years of surveillance visits, repeated endoscopies, immunotherapy costs. How are we going to support patients through that? We're going to have to think about setting up navigation support, geographic solutions, what financial counseling looks like. My patient for clinic yesterday was driving to see me, and they were talking about how they were sliding because it was snowing. And they were sliding for the entire three-hour drive down here. Are we going to tell people like that that they need to drive down to, right, I work at a high-volume center, they're going to need to come here every three months, come rain or snow, to get scoped as opposed to the one-time having a surgery and not needing to have the scopes as frequently? My concern, like I said, I'm an optimist, I think it is going to work. I think we're going to figure out how to make it work. I'm worried about whether when we deploy it, we widen the already existing disparities. Dr. Pedro Barata: Gotcha, and that's a fantastic summary. And as I'm thinking also of what we've been talking in other solid tumors, which one of the following do you think is going to evolve first? So we are starting to use more MRD-based assays, which are based on blood test, whether it's a tumor-informed ctDNA or non-informed. We are also trying to get around or trying to get more information response to systemic therapies out of RNA-seq through gene expression signatures, or development of novel therapeutics which also can help you there. Which one of these areas you think you're going to help this SANO-like approach move forward, or you actually think it's actually all of the above, which makes it even more complicated perhaps? Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: I think it's going to be all of the above for a couple of reasons. I would say if I had to pick just one right now, I think ctDNA is probably the most promising and potentially the missing piece that can help us close the gap between clinical and pathologic response. If you achieve clinical complete response and your ctDNA is negative, so you have clinical and molecular evidence of clearance, maybe that's a low-risk patient for surveillance. If you have clinical complete response but your ctDNA remains positive, I would say you have occult molecular disease and we probably need intensified therapy, closer monitoring, not observation. I think the INFINITY trial is already incorporating ctDNA into its algorithm, so we'll know. I don't think we're at the point where it alone can drive surgical decisions. I think it's going to be a good complement to clinical response evaluation, not a replacement. The issue of where I think it's probably going to be multi-dimensional is the evidence base: who are we testing? Like, what is the diversity, what is the ancestral diversity of these databases that we're using for all of these tests? How do we know that ctDNA levels and RNA-seq expression arrays are the same across different ancestral groups, across different disease types? So I think it's probably going to be an amalgam and we're going to have to figure out some sort of algorithm to help us define it based on the patient characteristics. Like, I think it's probably different, some of this stuff is going to be a little bit different depending on where in the stomach the cancer is. And it's going to be a little bit more difficult to figure out if you have a complete clinical response in the antrum and closer to the pylorus, for example. That might be a little bit more difficult. So maybe the threshold for defining what a clinical complete response needs to be is higher because the therapeutic approach there is not quite as onerous as for something at the GE-junction. Dr. Pedro Barata: Wonderful. And I'm sure AI, whether it's digitization of the pathology from the biopsies and putting all this together, probably might play a role as well in the future.  Dr. Maduekwe, it's been fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us and also congrats again for the really well-done review published.  For our listeners, thank you for staying with us. Thank you for your time. We will post a link to this fantastic article we discussed today in the transcript of this episode. And of course, please join us again next month on the By the Book Podcast for more insights on key advances and innovations that are shaping modern oncology. Thank you, everyone. Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: Thank you. Thank you for having me. Watch the ASCO GI26 session: Organ Preservation for Gastroesophageal and Gastric Cancers: Ready for Primetime? Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. Follow today's speakers:          Dr. Pedro Barata   @PBarataMD    Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe @umaduekwemd Follow ASCO on social media:          @ASCO on X (formerly Twitter)          ASCO on Bluesky         ASCO on Facebook          ASCO on LinkedIn          Disclosures:       Dr. Pedro Barata:   Stock and Other Ownership Interests: Luminate Medical   Honoraria: UroToday   Consulting or Advisory Role: Bayer, BMS, Pfizer, EMD Serono, Eisai, Caris Life Sciences, AstraZeneca, Exelixis, AVEO, Merck, Ipson, Astellas Medivation, Novartis, Dendreon   Speakers' Bureau: AstraZeneca, Merck, Caris Life Sciences, Bayer, Pfizer/Astellas   Research Funding (Inst.): Exelixis, Blue Earth, AVEO, Pfizer, Merck    Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: Leadership: Medica Health Research Funding: Cigna    

US equity markets advanced after posting a sharp rebound last Friday (6 February), with technology again leading the gains - Dow inched +20-points or +0.04% higher to a fresh record closing high of 50,135.87 a day after the 30-stock index has climbed above the 50,000 level for the first time. Microsoft Corp (up +3.05%) was the leading Dow component, while Caterpillar Inc (+2.19%), Cisco Systems Inc (2.31%) and Nvidia Corp (2.5%) all climbed over >2%. Merck & Co Inc fell -3.51%, while Travelers Companies Inc (down -2.88%), Nike Inc (-2.36%) and Amgen Inc (-2.21%) all fell over >2%.The broader S&P500 added +0.47%, with Information Technology (up +1.59%) sitting atop the primary sector leaderboard for a second consecutive session. Health Care and Consumer Staples both declined -0.86%. AppLovin Corp soared +13.26% and was the leading performer in the S&P500 after a financial publisher retracted some of its most explosive claims regarding AppLovin's alleged connections to transnational crime syndicates. Oracle Corp rallied +9.64%   Kroger Inc rose +3.85% after the after the grocery giant named former Walmart Inc (down -1.63%) executive Greg Foran its new CEO. Micron Technology Inc fell -2.84%, with some traders citing South Korean press reports indicating that Micron's HBM4 offerings aren't fast enough for Nvidia Corp and thus will get shut out of the upcoming Vera Rubin graphics processing units (GPUs).

US equity markets advanced after posting a sharp rebound last Friday (6 February), with technology again leading the gains - Dow inched +20-points or +0.04% higher to a fresh record closing high of 50,135.87 a day after the 30-stock index has climbed above the 50,000 level for the first time. Microsoft Corp (up +3.05%) was the leading Dow component, while Caterpillar Inc (+2.19%), Cisco Systems Inc (2.31%) and Nvidia Corp (2.5%) all climbed over >2%. Merck & Co Inc fell -3.51%, while Travelers Companies Inc (down -2.88%), Nike Inc (-2.36%) and Amgen Inc (-2.21%) all fell over >2%.

Cervical cancer is preventable and treatable if diagnosed early and treated timely. This is according to Merck & Dohme (MSD) South Africa, a global biopharmaceutical Company committed to providing a range of medications and vaccines that address various health issues. Yet in South Africa, it remains a leading cancer killer among women especially. Today, with powerful tools, elimination is within reach. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Managing Director at MSD SA, Zwelethu Bashman

Bitcoin is crashing, tech and SaaS stocks are under pressure, and social media is full of panic but dividend investors are staying calm.In this episode, Derek and European DGI explain why this sell-off is sector-specific, not a market crash, and how dividend growth portfolios are holding up surprisingly well during volatility.We discuss:• Why Bitcoin's drop doesn't worry dividend investors• Sector rotation vs. real market crashes• What's happening to tech, SaaS, and AI-exposed stocks• Dividend hikes and earnings updates• How to stay rational when markets get noisyCompanies discussed include Microsoft, Shell, Novo Nordisk, Merck, Brookfield Asset Management, Hershey, PepsiCo, and more.We finish with a listener Q&A covering dividend cuts, price anchoring, currency risk, and investing during market drawdowns.

Day Two of our coverage of NCBA's CattleCon in Nashville and this morning's show is sponsored by Merck Animal Health. Joining us is National Cattlemen's Beef Association senior vice president of government affairs Ethan Lane and Jessica Lancaster, senior director of product quality & safety research at NCBA. Plus, Merck's message about dealing with New World screwworm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Monty Pal and Dr. Atul Batra discuss the PLANeT study from India, which evaluated low-dose pembrolizumab in addition to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer, and its place among a growing body of international research on improving efficacy while reducing costs and toxicity with lower doses of immunotherapy. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Monty Pal: Hello and welcome to the ASCO Daily News Podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Monty Pal. I'm a medical oncologist, professor, and vice chair of academic affairs at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles. My guest today, I think, is going to be a really riveting one. It's Dr. Atul Batra, who is an additional professor of medical oncology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, or AIIMS, in New Delhi. And he's also the senior author of the PLANeT study. It's a very compelling study that evaluated low-dose pembrolizumab in addition to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer. And it's really a big part of a growing body of research that's showing balanced efficacy when we use lower doses of immunotherapy instead of standard doses to reduce cost, as well as potentially toxicity. I think this has huge implications for our global audience, and I'm so thrilled to have you on the podcast today, Dr. Atul Batra, welcome. Dr. Atul Batra: Thank you, Dr. Pal. Dr. Monty Pal: And we'll just take it with first names from here since we're both friends. I have to give the audience some context. Atul, I had the great honor of visiting AIIMS New Delhi. For those that don't know, this is really, you know, the Harvard Medical School of India. It's the most competitive institution for medical training. And on the back end of that, there's also incredible resources when it comes to clinical trials and infrastructure. I just wanted to have you give the audience sort of a scope of the types of trials that you've been able to do at AIIMS New Delhi. Dr. Atul Batra: Thank you, Monty. So, I work at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, and we had the honor and pleasure of having Monty here this month. And people are still in awe of his lectures that he delivered there. Coming back to our institute, so it's kind of a medical college. It's one of the oldest ones, it was built in 1956. We are lucky enough that we get the best of the residents and fellows because they have to go through an exam, a competitive exam, and mostly it's them who come to us and we're able to do some good work out here. Regarding the trials that we have conducted, we do conduct some investigator-initiated studies, and we try to answer the questions where we can help our own patients. Like, for example, this PLANeT study. Every other patient in the clinic was almost not able to afford Keytruda at the full dose, pembrolizumab, and we had a lot of evidence creeping in that a lower dose might be helpful. And that's how we planned this study. Before that, there are certain cancers that are peculiar to India, like gallbladder cancer, head and neck cancers. These are much more common in India as compared to the U.S., and there are some good studies that have been conducted from our own institute by our senior colleagues which have been presented at ASCO and published in the JCO. We also did the capecitabine hand-foot syndrome study that was known as the D-ToRCH study: 1% diclofenac gel that became the standard of care to prevent hand-foot syndrome.  So, that's kind of a brief overview of investigator-initiated studies. India is slowly and steadily becoming a partner of the global registration trials. And it's more recently, the last five years or so, we have seen that the number of phase 2 and phase 3 trials are increasing and we are able to offer now these trials as well to our patients. Dr. Monty Pal: That was a terrific overview. I just want to highlight for the audience, as we go through some of your discussions today around specific trials, the speed at which this can be done. Just for context, for me to accrue a clinical trial of 30 patients – I think many people have probably come across some of the work that I've done in the microbiome space – at a single institution, 30 patients, right, takes me about a year and a half, two years. We're going to go through some trials today where Dr. Batra and his team have actually, in fact, accrued close to 200 patients over a span of just a year, which is just remarkable by, I would say, any American standard. So, I see a real need for partnership and Atul, I'll kind of get back to that at the end. But without further ado, the focus of this podcast today, I think, is really this terrific presentation you gave in an oral session at ESMO and subsequently published in Annals of Oncology related to the PLANeT study. Would you give the listeners some context around what the study entailed and population and so forth? Dr. Atul Batra: So, we know the KEYNOTE-522 became the standard of care for triple-negative breast cancer, where Keytruda, when added at 200 mg, the standard dose every three weeks with neoadjuvant, increases the pCR from around 51% to 64% by a magnitude of around 13%. However, in India and other low-middle income countries, less than 5% of the patients actually have access to this dose of pembrolizumab. So, our standard of care was actually just chemotherapy till now. And this kind of led us to design this trial. There are data that come from previous trials conducted in India, from the Tata Memorial, done in head and neck space, some other studies done in Hodgkin's lymphoma, that a much lower dose, probably around one-tenth of the dose, works well in these cancers. So, that's where we designed the PLANeT study, where we gave the standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the control arm, and in the experimental arm we added 50 mg of pembrolizumab. This was given every six weeks for three doses. So, that's a total of 150 mg over the neoadjuvant period as compared to 1,600 mg that was given in the KEYNOTE-522 study. So, this was almost one-tenth of the study. Dr. Monty Pal: So, a tenth of the dose, which is just remarkable. I mean, that's just such an interesting concept. Dr. Atul Batra: And the results, when we – the primary outcome, this was a phase 2 study. We just wanted to see, is there a signal of activity? And to even our surprise, when we looked at the pathological complete response rates, in the control arm this was 40.5%, and in the experimental arm this was 53.8%. So, a difference came to around 13.3%; it was numerically, I mean, so much similar to what KEYNOTE-522 had with just these many doses. So, this was around 160 patients randomized over one year. We could randomize them in one year because of the load that we see. And the primary endpoint was met, and we could see that the path complete response did show a remarkable increase. We are still following these patients to see whether there is a difference in event-free survival at a longer follow-up. Until now, it's a small follow-up, so the number of events absolute, are different: four events in the experimental arm and 11 events in the control arm. So, we are seeing some signal even in this much short follow-up period as well. But we need to see more of what happens in the longer term. Dr. Monty Pal: That's so impressive. I wonder, with this lower dose, do you attenuate toxicity at all as far as you can gather? Dr. Atul Batra: So, although we shouldn't be doing kind of cross-trial comparisons, but if you look at thyroid dysfunction, we saw that around 10% of our patients had this thyroid dysfunction. This was compared to 15% in the KEYNOTE-522, that was a larger sample size though. But we're seeing that all the toxicities are somewhat less as compared to those in the standard dose. So, the exposure is less, but I mean, I can't really commit definitely on this. For this we would need much more data to say this with more confidence. Dr. Monty Pal: Yeah. I'm going to ask you a really tough question to follow up, and this is probably something that's on everyone's mind after reading a study like this. Is this something that is disease-specific that needs to be replicated across other histologies? The reason I ask this is, you know, you think about paradigms like, for instance, in the States we're toying between intravenous versus subcutaneous delivery of checkpoint inhibitors, and we have studies focused in specific histologies that might justify use across all histologies. With this particular phenomenon, do you think we need to do dedicated studies in renal cell or in colon cancer and other places where, you know, in selected settings we might use checkpoint inhibitors and then decide whether or not there's this dose equivalence, if you will? Dr. Atul Batra: That's a real tough one, though. But I'm happy to share that there are several ongoing studies within India currently. At our institute, my colleagues are leading studies in lung cancer space, cervical cancer. There was already a publication from Tata Memorial Hospital in head and neck cancers and we see that the signal has been consistent throughout. Regarding renal cancer, there was one study that was presented for sure at ASCO from CMC Vellore, that's again a center in South India. That was in RCC at a much lower dose. And for patients who cannot take the full dose, we actually are offering lower dose nivolumab in such patients and we are seeing responses. I mean, we haven't done those randomized trials again because the numbers are much lower in kidney cancers, we know. We could do this trial in triple-negative ones because we had support and we had numbers to conduct this trial. But I'm sure this should be a class effect. I mean, when we can get tumor-agnostic approvals, then some real-world data has come up in almost all tumors, we have seen that consistent effect across tumors. And as we speak of today, I'm also delighted to share that in India, yesterday, we had the first biosimilar of nivolumab and that's now available at a much, much lower price than the original patent product. There was a long ongoing lawsuit that was there, that's over now, and from yesterday onwards, I'm so happy to share here that we would have the first biosimilar of nivolumab that's available. That's going to bring the cost to almost like one-tenth already. Dr. Monty Pal: Wow. That's huge.  I'm going to be very selfish here for a second and focus on a study that is in the renal cell space that your group has done. You know, when it came out, I was really sort of intrigued by this study as well and it reflects sort of a different capability, I think, of AIIMS New Delhi, and that's in the, what I'm going to call, biomarker space. This, for the audience, was a prospective effort to characterize germline variants in patients with advanced kidney cancer. And it's something that we talk about a lot in the kidney cancer literature, whether or not we're missing a lot of these so-called hereditary patterns of RCC. Can you tell us a little bit about that study too? Dr. Atul Batra: Yeah, so that was led by one of our fellows, Chitrakshi Nagpal, and she's just completed her fellowship. And two years back we published that. So, that was done in almost 160 consecutive patients that we recruited over the span of just one year and we saw, apart from the common known mutations in RCC, that was around 5% or so, but a lot of other mutations were also seen that we don't generally see in kidney cancers and we see in other cancers like BRCA1, BRCA2 and others. We are still, I mean, doing those analyses to see whether we get more things out of there in the somatic: is there a loss of heterozygosity or was it just present and in there? Dr. Monty Pal: I thought it was a terrific study and again, I was just so blown away at the pace. I mean, as I look at 140 patients accrued over a span of one year, this is something that would take us perhaps three times as long at City of Hope, and that's with a very sort of, what I consider to be large and dedicated kidney cancer program. So, it really underscores, I think, the need for collaboration. And ever since I came back from my visit to you at AIIMS Delhi, I think I've just been sort of transformed in the sense of trying to think of better ways for us to collaborate. One tangible thing that I'm going to get cracking on is seeing whether or not perhaps we can form some partnerships through SWOG or what we call the NCTN, the National Clinical Trials Network here within the U.S. Talk to me about collaboration. I mean, you've been really terrific at this. How do you sort of envision collaboration enhancing the global landscape of oncology? Dr. Atul Batra: That's really amazing, Monty. That's what we need. We have the infrastructure, we have the manpower, we have patients. I mean, these are all high-volume centers. Unfortunately, we are a little less in numbers, so we are more clinically occupied as well. So, sometimes it's kind of tougher, but again, when it comes to helping out the patients, global collaboration, we need to kind of take you guys along with us and have our patients finish trials earlier. This is a win-win situation for patients, one, because they also get exposure or an option to participate in the clinical trials, and second, we can answer all these scientific questions that we have at a much faster pace. All those things can be done within a much shorter span of time for sure. We are so happy to hear that, and with open hands we are ready to collaborate for all these efforts. Dr. Monty Pal: That's awesome. You know, I came back thinking, gosh, this would be so ideal for some of these rare subtypes of kidney cancer. Prospective clinical trials that I'm running in that space where really we're threatened with closure all the time. And if we just sort of extended a hand to, you know, our partners in India and other countries, you know, I'm sure we could get this research done in a meaningful way and that's got to be a win for patients. Atul, I had such a terrific time chatting with you today. I'm looking forward to seeing lots more productivity from your group there. By the way, for our viewership here, take a look and see what AIIMS New Delhi is doing under the leadership of Dr. Batra and others. It is just a real powerhouse and I think that after doing so, you'll be enticed to collaborate as well.  I'm hoping this is the first of many times that we have you on the podcast. Thank you so much for joining. Dr. Atul Batra: Thank you so much for having me here, Monty. It was a pleasure as always speaking to you. And thank you again. Dr. Monty Pal: You got it.  Well, and thanks to our listeners. I encourage you to check out Dr. Batra's paper. We'll actually have a link to the study in the transcript of this episode.  Finally, if you value the insights that you heard today on the ASCO Daily News Podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. More on today's speakers:     Dr. Monty Pal   @montypal Dr. Atul Batra @batraatulonc Follow ASCO on social media:          ASCO on X    ASCO on Bluesky         ASCO on Facebook          ASCO on LinkedIn          Disclosures:       Dr. Monty Pal:      Speakers' Bureau: MJH Life Sciences, IntrisiQ, Peerview     Research Funding (Inst.): Exelixis, Merck, Osel, Genentech, Crispr Therapeutics, Adicet Bio, ArsenalBio, Xencor, Miyarsian Pharmaceutical     Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: Crispr Therapeutics, Ipsen, Exelixis     Dr. Atul Batra: Stock and Other Ownership Interests: Zydus Pharmaceuticals, Glenmark, Caplin Point Laboratories, Laurus Research Funding: AstraZeneca, Astellas Pharma, Alkem Laboratories

This episode covers: Cardiology This Week: A concise summary of recent studies Lp(a) and aortic valve stenosis The truth about climate change and heart disease Snapshots Host: Emer Joyce Guests: JP Carpenter, Borge Nordestgaard, Hugh Montgomery, Stephan Achenbach Want to watch that episode? Go to: https://esc365.escardio.org/event/2548 Want to watch that extended interview on Lp(a) and aortic valve stenosis, go to: https://esc365.escardio.org/event/2548?resource=interview Disclaimer: ESC TV Today is supported by Novartis through an independent funding. The programme has not been influenced in any way by its funding partner. This programme is intended for health care professionals only and is to be used for educational purposes. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) does not aim to promote medicinal products nor devices. Any views or opinions expressed are the presenters' own and do not reflect the views of the ESC. All declarations of interest are listed at the end of the episode. The ESC is not liable for any translated content of this video. The English language always prevails. Declarations of interests: Stephan Achenbach, Yasmina Bououdina and Nicolle Kraenkel have declared to have no potential conflicts of interest to report. Carlos Aguiar has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: personal fees for consultancy and/or speaker fees from Abbott, AbbVie, Alnylam, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, BiAL, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Daiichi-Sankyo, Ferrer, Gilead, GSK, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi, Servier, Takeda, Tecnimede. John-Paul Carpenter has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: stockholder MyCardium AI. Davide Capodanno has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: Abbott Vascular, Bristol Myers Squibb, Daiichi Sankyo, Edwards Lifesciences, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi Aventis, Terumo. Emer Joyce has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: Alnylam, Bayer, Pfizer, Fire-1.  Konstantinos Koskinas has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: honoraria from MSD, Daiichi Sankyo, Sanofi. Felix Mahfoud has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: research grants from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB TRR219), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kardiologie (DGK), Deutsche Herzstiftung, Ablative Solutions, ReCor Medical. Consulting fees, payment honoraria lectures, presentations, speaker, support travel costs: Ablative Solutions, Astra-Zeneca, Novartis, Inari, Recor Medical, Medtronic, Philips, Merck. Hugh Montgomery has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: funded and runs the charity-funded non-profit 'Real Zero'. Unpaid co-chair of the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change. Borge Nordestgaard has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: consultancies/talks for AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Ionis, Amgen, Amarin, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Esperion, Lilly, Arrowhead, Marea, Merck, Torrent, USV – honoraria used for research. Steffen Petersen has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: consultancy for Circle Cardiovascular Imaging Inc. Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Emma Svennberg has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: Abbott, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Bristol-Myers, Squibb-Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson.

Host: Emer Joyce Guest: Borge Nordestgaard Want to watch that extended interview on Lp(a) and aortic valve stenosis, go to: https://esc365.escardio.org/event/2548?resource=interview Want to watch the full episode? Go to: https://esc365.escardio.org/event/2548 Disclaimer: ESC TV Today is supported by Novartis through an independent funding. The programme has not been influenced in any way by its funding partner. This programme is intended for health care professionals only and is to be used for educational purposes. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) does not aim to promote medicinal products nor devices. Any views or opinions expressed are the presenters' own and do not reflect the views of the ESC. All declarations of interest are listed at the end of the episode. The ESC is not liable for any translated content of this video. The English language always prevails. Declarations of interests: Stephan Achenbach, Yasmina Bououdina and Nicolle Kraenkel have declared to have no potential conflicts of interest to report. Carlos Aguiar has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: personal fees for consultancy and/or speaker fees from Abbott, AbbVie, Alnylam, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, BiAL, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Daiichi-Sankyo, Ferrer, Gilead, GSK, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi, Servier, Takeda, Tecnimede. John-Paul Carpenter has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: stockholder MyCardium AI. Davide Capodanno has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: Abbott Vascular, Bristol Myers Squibb, Daiichi Sankyo, Edwards Lifesciences, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi Aventis, Terumo. Emer Joyce has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: Alnylam, Bayer, Pfizer, Fire-1. Konstantinos Koskinas has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: honoraria from MSD, Daiichi Sankyo, Sanofi. Felix Mahfoud has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: research grants from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB TRR219), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kardiologie (DGK), Deutsche Herzstiftung, Ablative Solutions, ReCor Medical. Consulting fees, payment honoraria lectures, presentations, speaker, support travel costs: Ablative Solutions, Astra-Zeneca, Novartis, Inari, Recor Medical, Medtronic, Philips, Merck. Borge Nordestgaard has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: consultancies/talks for AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Ionis, Amgen, Amarin, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Esperion, Lilly, Arrowhead, Marea, Merck, Torrent, USV – honoraria used for research. Steffen Petersen has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: consultancy for Circle Cardiovascular Imaging Inc. Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Emma Svennberg has declared to have potential conflicts of interest to report: Abbott, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Bristol-Myers, Squibb-Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson.

In der heutigen Folge sprechen die Finanzjournalisten Anja Ettel und Lea Oetjen über den Absturz von PayPal, den neuen Makel des MSCI World und Konkurrenz-Druck für Zalando. Außerdem geht es um Berkshire Hathaway, Amazon, Daimler Truck, AMD, Nvidia, HP Inc., Novo Nordisk, Palantir, Thomson Reuters, Verisk, Shopify, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Merck & Company, Pfizer, Critical Metals Corp, USA Rare Earth MP Materials, United States Antimony, NioCorp Developments, General Motors, Stellantis, Boeing, Corning, GE Vernova, Alphabet, VanEck Vectors Rare Earth/Strategic Metals ETF (WKN: A3CRL9), PLS Group, Albemarle, Lithium Americas, Wisdom Tree Strategic Metals and Rare Earth Miners ETF (WKN: A3EKKT), Sigma Lithium, Lynas Rare Earth, iShares Core MSCI World (WKN: A0RPWH), Xtrackers SLI ETF (WKN: DBX1AA), Novartis, Roche, Xtrackers MSCI Singapore (WKN: DBX0KG), DBS Group, Oversea-Chinese Banking, Sea, Amundi MSCI Nordic ETF (WKN: A2H569), Novo Nordisk und Spotify. Wir freuen uns an Feedback über aaa@welt.de. Noch mehr "Alles auf Aktien" findet Ihr bei WELTplus und Apple Podcasts – inklusive aller Artikel der Hosts und AAA-Newsletter. Hier bei WELT: https://www.welt.de/podcasts/alles-auf-aktien/plus247399208/Boersen-Podcast-AAA-Bonus-Folgen-Jede-Woche-noch-mehr-Antworten-auf-Eure-Boersen-Fragen.html. Der Börsen-Podcast Disclaimer: Die im Podcast besprochenen Aktien und Fonds stellen keine spezifischen Kauf- oder Anlage-Empfehlungen dar. Die Moderatoren und der Verlag haften nicht für etwaige Verluste, die aufgrund der Umsetzung der Gedanken oder Ideen entstehen. Hörtipps: Für alle, die noch mehr wissen wollen: Holger Zschäpitz können Sie jede Woche im Finanz- und Wirtschaftspodcast "Deffner&Zschäpitz" hören. +++ Werbung +++ Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte! https://linktr.ee/alles_auf_aktien Impressum: https://www.welt.de/services/article7893735/Impressum.html Datenschutz: https://www.welt.de/services/article157550705/Datenschutzerklaerung-WELT-DIGITAL.html

Good morning from Pharma Daily: the podcast that brings you the most important developments in the pharmaceutical and biotech world. Today, we delve into a series of insightful updates that highlight the dynamic and rapidly evolving nature of these sectors, driven by scientific advancements, regulatory shifts, and strategic industry maneuvers.Starting with Merck, which is strategically planning for a post-Keytruda era, projecting over $70 billion in annual opportunities over the next decade. With Keytruda's patent expiration looming in 2028, Merck is actively expanding its portfolio through acquisitions and partnerships, focusing on oncology and immunology. These areas have been significantly impacted by Keytruda's success, and Merck's proactive approach aims to sustain growth and innovation beyond its current flagship product. During their 2025 full-year earnings call, CEO Robert Davis emphasized their expansive pipeline, highlighting recent strategic deals as pivotal to Merck's robust pipeline—the broadest it has been in years—signaling long-term growth through diversified therapeutic areas and innovative drug candidates.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is making waves with its regulatory approach to CAR-T cell therapies for autoimmune diseases. This shift reflects an increasing recognition of the potential these therapies hold for transforming treatment paradigms for conditions like lupus and multiple sclerosis. By offering a more flexible regulatory framework, the FDA is encouraging innovation while maintaining a focus on patient safety.In other regulatory news, AstraZeneca faces a setback with the FDA's rejection of its subcutaneous version of Saphnelo for lupus. The decision underscores the challenges associated with developing more patient-friendly administration methods for biologics. However, AstraZeneca remains optimistic about achieving a quick turnaround in the approval process, which could enhance patient adherence by offering a self-administered alternative to intravenous infusions.Sanofi finds itself in the spotlight after CEO Paul Hudson was sanctioned by the UK's Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority for making overly ambitious claims about Pfizer's RSV vaccine. This incident illustrates the competitive nature of vaccine procurement and underscores the importance of accurate communication by pharmaceutical leaders.In Massachusetts, Thermo Fisher Scientific is reducing its workforce with the closure of its Franklin site, impacting around 200 employees. This move is part of broader strategic realignments within the industry aimed at optimizing operations and focusing resources on high-growth areas.Acadia Pharmaceuticals faces potential rejection by the European Union for its drug trofinetide intended for Rett syndrome. This highlights ongoing challenges in gaining approval for treatments targeting rare diseases, despite their significant unmet needs.Meanwhile, GSK plans to lay off up to 350 R&D workers across the U.S. and UK as part of efforts to streamline operations and focus on core therapeutic areas. Such layoffs reflect broader industry trends toward consolidation and efficiency amid rising R&D costs.On a more promising note, Pfizer's GLP-1 receptor agonist has demonstrated significant results in a Phase 2b trial for weight loss, validating their substantial investment in this area. The drug's potential to offer competitive weight loss results with monthly dosing positions it as a strong contender in the obesity treatment market. Additionally, Pfizer continues to accelerate its efforts in obesity treatment with promising mid-stage trial results for PF-3944, showing up to a 12.3% weight loss at 28 weeks. This suggests Pfizer is keen on expanding its presence in obesity management through strategic clinical development as competition within this therapeutic area intensifies.The U.S. Department of Health and HumanSupport the show

Pfizer reported the first data from its new obesity pipeline, picked up in the nearly $10 billion acquisition of Metsera last fall. While BMO Capital Markets said in a Tuesday note that the data “look competitive,” analysts clamored for more details on Pfizer's earnings call the same morning—and were left wanting more. Meawhile, Merck batted away accusations of “modest growth” from analysts on its own earnings call, as CEO Robert Davis touted “probably the broadest and widest pipelinewe've had in years.” These calls followed Roche last week and Johnson & Johnson before that, but earnings season is just getting started. On the docket today is Eli Lilly, which has been acquisitive of late, plus Novo Nordisk, Novartis, AbbVie and more.  On the regulatory front, the FDA is expected to decideon eight products this month, including REGENXBIO's Hunter syndrome gene therapy RGX-121. The biotech ran into a regulatory snag last week, however, as the FDA placed a clinical hold on two of its programs, including RGX-121. The agency also launched its much-anticipated PreCheck pilot program, which aims to make it easier for companies to build manufacturing plants in the U.S. And President Donald Trump's TrumpRx platform is delayed, potentially amid anti-kickback concerns.  In ClinicaSpace this week, we took a deep dive intothe resurgent psychedelics space, which could see two companies—Compass Pathways and Definium—submit FDAapplications this year. H.C. Wainwright analyst Patrick Trucchio told BioSpace 2026 is set to be “the biggest year from a clinical data standpoint,” since the firm began covering Compass in 2018. And check your inboxes Wednesday for BioPharmExecutive, where we take a look back at the banner IPO year that was 2021: Where are these companies now?

Big Pharma’s report cards just rewrote the market mood. Market View dives into why Pfizer slipped into a quarterly loss, why Novo Nordisk plunged double digits, and how Merck managed to buck the trend. We also unpack Singtel’s rally on acquisition chatter and what it signals for Singapore’s telco strategy. Across the Pacific, tech stocks drag Wall Street lower as Nvidia and Microsoft weigh on the NASDAQ. Plus, our UP or DOWN game covers PayPal, PepsiCo, Walmart and Intel’s GPU ambitions. All this and more, hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investors rotated out of technology stocks into shares more broadly linked to improvements in the economy, Merck was the biggest gainer in the Dow up 3.5 percent, More on the next Pints and Portolios this Saturday February 7th from 12 noon to 2pm with EP Wealth Advisors and Partners CFP Travis McEuen and CMT Nathan Rogers as well as Rob Black in Pleasant Hill with exact location given once you register

Investors rotated out of technology stocks into shares more broadly linked to improvements in the economy, Merck was the biggest gainer in the Dow up 3.5 percent, More on the next Pints and Portolios this Saturday February 7th from 12 noon to 2pm with EP Wealth Advisors and Partners CFP Travis McEuen and CMT Nathan Rogers as well as Rob Black in Pleasant Hill with exact location given once you registerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

APAC stocks were mostly higher with several bourses firmly recovering from the prior day's sell-off, as the region took impetus from the positive handover from Wall Street.US President Trump announced that India will stop buying Russian oil, while the US will be lowering tariffs on India to 18% from 25%.RBA hiked the Cash Rate by 25bps as expected in a unanimous decision, marking the first hike in over two years; RBA's SoMP noted that underlying inflation is higher than expected and GDP growth has continued to pick up.US BLS will not release the January jobs report on Friday due to the partial US Government shutdown, while December JOLTS (due 3rd Feb) has also been postponed.European equity futures indicate a positive cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.4% after the cash market closed with gains of 1.0% on Monday.Looking ahead, highlights include Turkish Inflation (Jan), French Prelim. CPI (Jan), RCM/TIPP (Feb), New Zealand Unemployment (Q4), Australian S&P PMIs Final (Jan), Speakers including Fed's Bowman, Barkin & ECB's Lagarde, Supply from UK & Germany, Earnings from AMD, Supermicro, Amgen, Amcor, PayPal, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Merck & Publicis.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

European bourses opened stronger, but sentiment has dipped off best levels; US equity futures are modestly firmer, with mild outperformance is seen in the NQ.DXY is flat, Antipodeans benefit from a rebound in metals prices with outperformance in the Aussie after the RBA hiked rates by 25bps (as expected), whilst the SoMP noted that underlying inflation is higher than expected.Fixed income on the backfoot with supply in focus in a shutdown-thinned US docket.Crude prices initially lower but now flat; India to stop importing Russian oil as part of the trade deal with the US. Metals rebound with spot gold returning above USD 4900/oz.Looking ahead, highlights include US RCM/TIPP (Feb), New Zealand Unemployment (Q4), Australian S&P PMIs Final (Jan), Speakers including Fed's Bowman, Barkin & ECB's Lagarde.December JOLTS has been postponed, on account of the US government shutdown. Earnings from AMD, Supermicro, Amgen, Amcor, PayPal, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Merck.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

Julián Coca, gestor del fondo Alinea Global, sigue de cerca a compañías como Palantir, Pepsico, Pfizer, Merck, Space X y xAI.

Die Stimmung an der Wall Street normalisiert sich, und die Risikobereitschaft von Investoren scheint erneut anzuspringen. Wir sehen das auch bei der Normalisierung und Erholung der Silber- und Goldpreise. Der robuste ISM-Einkaufsmanager Index der Industrie verstärkt die Wette auf mehr Wirtschaftswachstum. Gestern konnte außerdem der Dow Jones Transport Index einen Rekord knacken. Ebenfalls ein Zeichen, das Wachstum an Schwung gewinnt. Weil die Wachstumsziele anziehen, rückt der Zeitpunkt der nächsten Zinssenkung weiter nach hinten. Obwohl ab Juni wohl Kevin Warsh am Ruder der FED sitzen wird, rechnet die Wall Street nun nicht mehr im Juni, sondern erst im Juli mit einer weiteren Zinssenkung. Die Frage bleibt, ob mehr Wachstum auch mehr Inflation bedeutet. Die Renditen der US-Staatsanleihen sollten Anleger entsprechend im Blick behalten. Die seit gestern Abend gemeldeten Ergebnisse sind überwiegend bullish. Wir sehen solide Kursgewinne bei den Aktien von Palantir und Teradyne. Deultichen Abgabedruck sehen nach den schwachen Zahlen und Aussichten die Aktie von PayPal. Pfizer und Merck kann von den gesunden Quartalszahlen nicht profitieren. Beide haben auch die Aussichten für 2026 bestätigt. Abonniere den Podcast, um keine Folge zu verpassen! ____ Folge uns, um auf dem Laufenden zu bleiben: • X: http://fal.cn/SQtwitter • LinkedIn: http://fal.cn/SQlinkedin • Instagram: http://fal.cn/SQInstagram

Die Stimmung an der Wall Street normalisiert sich, und die Risikobereitschaft von Investoren scheint erneut anzuspringen. Wir sehen das auch bei der Normalisierung und Erholung der Silber- und Goldpreise. Der robuste ISM-Einkaufsmanager Index der Industrie verstärkt die Wette auf mehr Wirtschaftswachstum. Gestern konnte außerdem der Dow Jones Transport Index einen Rekord knacken. Ebenfalls ein Zeichen, das Wachstum an Schwung gewinnt. Weil die Wachstumsziele anziehen, rückt der Zeitpunkt der nächsten Zinssenkung weiter nach hinten. Obwohl ab Juni wohl Kevin Warsh am Ruder der FED sitzen wird, rechnet die Wall Street nun nicht mehr im Juni, sondern erst im Juli mit einer weiteren Zinssenkung. Die Frage bleibt, ob mehr Wachstum auch mehr Inflation bedeutet. Die Renditen der US-Staatsanleihen sollten Anleger entsprechend im Blick behalten. Die seit gestern Abend gemeldeten Ergebnisse sind überwiegend bullish. Wir sehen solide Kursgewinne bei den Aktien von Palantir und Teradyne. Deultichen Abgabedruck sehen nach den schwachen Zahlen und Aussichten die Aktie von PayPal. Pfizer und Merck kann von den gesunden Quartalszahlen nicht profitieren. Beide haben auch die Aussichten für 2026 bestätigt. Ein Podcast - featured by Handelsblatt. ► Mehr Einblicke: https://bit.ly/360wallstreetpc * Impressum: https://www.360wallstreet.de/impressum *Werbung

Audio roundup of selected biopharma industry content from Scrip over the business week ended January 30, 2026. This episode was produced with the help of AI text-to-voice and voice emulation tools. This time – AstraZeneca's big China investment pledge; Novartis exec's warning on early trial competitiveness; Chinese biotechs tap IPOs to fund foreign trials; Merck & Co on winning deals; and breaking down the India-EU free trade agreement. Story links: https://insights.citeline.com/scrip/podcasts/scrips-five-must-know-things/quick-listen-scrips-five-must-know-things-T7BHL2UUN5DY3ENU5ZRTCY7YIE/ Playlist: soundcloud.com/citelinesounds/sets/scrips-five-must-know-things

Big Pharma goes global, precious metals go vertical - then crash, and Wall Street braces for a new Fed era. Market View tracks AstraZeneca’s New York debut and what it signals about the race between the US and China for drug innovation. Gold and silver suffer their worst rout in decades after news of Kevin Warsh as Donald Trump’s pick for Fed chair. US stocks wobble as investors reassess rate-cut risks and a packed earnings week led by Disney, Amazon and Alphabet. Back home, Singapore’s STI holds the 4,900 line with United Overseas Land, ST Engineering and Wilmar in focus. All that and more, hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang. Hear about : AstraZeneca, Nio, Sony, UOB, Amgen, Merck, Pfizer, Palantir, Disney, Alphabet, Uber, Amazon, ST Engineering, Wilmar InternationalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you work across time zones, borders, and cultures, this is the show for you. This is your host Leonardo, welcome to The International Business Podcast. AI can now summarise almost anything in seconds. That's powerful, but it makes it easy to stay at the surface. We get headlines, bullet points, "3 key takeaways", and move on. What's lost is context, nuance, and understanding that changes how professionals think and decide in international business. With this new format, host Leonardo Marra pushes in the opposite direction. Instead of a quick AI overview, he built a long‑form deep dive into Japan after 1945: from World War II defeat to economic miracle, bubble, stagnation, and today's super‑aging, innovation‑driven society.Part 1 traces Japan's path from post‑war devastation through U.S. occupation, state‑guided capitalism, keiretsu networks, export‑led growth, oil shocks, the 1980s bubble, and the "lost decades." It links policy, institutions, and social change to Japan's rise and current challenges.Part 2 shifts to practical insights. Guests who live and work in and around Japan share how firms make decisions, how kaizen and relationships function, how demographics reshape strategy, and what foreign executives consistently misunderstand about the Japanese market.--------⁠Join Leonardo on Patreon for Podcast Archive and Bonus episodes (100+ episodes). ⁠--------With guests:Massimiliano Colonna – Director of Communications, Brookings Institution Governance Studies. MPhil in Modern Japanese Studies from Oxford's Nissan Institute, where he researched the internet's role in Japan's political debate.Waka Someno – CEO of YOUNEEDS Co., Ltd. and SOMENO-YA (Tokyo/Osaka). Provides sales, marketing, and legal support for international companies entering Japan. Over 15 years in B2B sales, DX solutions, and market-entry advisory.Jason Durkee – President, Idea Development (Tokyo); co-founder, Practical Training Transfer. 25+ years helping businesspeople innovate, communicate across cultures, and transfer learning to results. CPTD, ATD Japan director, serves 130+ clients annually across Asia.Neal Jansen – Director, Asia Office, Arkansas Economic Development Commission. CEcD with 20+ years in FDI, trade, and workforce development. Fluent in Japanese, builds long-term partnerships between Arkansas and Asian companies.Brett Jason Lee – Learning and performance professional specializing in Asia Pacific; ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC). Designs learning solutions focused on behavior change, capability building, and cultural context for Japan and the region.Shaun Rein – Founder & Managing Director, China Market Research Group (Shanghai). Author of five bestselling books on China's economy. Works with Fortune 500s, PE firms, and heads of state. Regular contributor to WSJ, FT, NYT, CNBC, CNN, Bloomberg. Harvard MA.Tom Roberts – Founder, Cranberry Leadership International. "The Expat Whisperer." Former Head of Japan - Neurology at UCB (200 people, ~$1B P&L) and MD/President UCB Korea. Forbes Coaches Council member, helps C-Suite leaders navigate cross-border challenges.Jeff O'Dea – Communication Specialist, Inspiringbiz (Tokyo). Since 2010, helps Japanese professionals communicate effectively in English for global meetings. Clients include BMS, Novartis, MSD, Chugai, Merck, UCB, Softbank.Kelvin Ro – Founder, Kagi Career LLC (Tokyo, 15+ years). Coaches non-Japanese professionals on landing jobs in Japan. Author of Three Ways to Land Your First Job in Japan; ranked #2 non-Japanese LinkedIn creator in Japan (Dec 2024).-----If you work across time zones, borders, and cultures, come on the show to share your story. ⁠Connect with the host Leonardo Marra.

On this week's episode, Josh Schimmer, Sam Fazeli, Brian Skorney, and Yaron Werber kick off with a discussion on policy with special guest BIO's CEO John Crowley, overviewing what it means for the U.S. to “win” the biotech race against China, emphasizing the need for innovation and ensuring access to medicines. The conversation shifts to the latest at the FDA, where John acknowledges concerns around consistency at the agency and expresses optimism following conversations with FDA leadership at the JP Morgan Healthcare conference earlier this month. Next, the co-hosts discuss major investments in China, including AstraZeneca's $15B commitment to China through 2030, focusing on R&D, manufacturing, and partnerships. Shifting back to U.S. policy, the group addresses the growing measles outbreak, highlighting the belief that science, data, and policy pressure will win out over anti-science rhetoric. Next, John notes that codifying MFN would be devastating for the industry. The conversation turns to deals, with Merck's decision not to acquire Revolution Medicines, noting that the company's current strong cash position and recent deals will likely make them attractive to Big Pharma in the future. Next, Eikon Therapeutics' planned $273.5M IPO is also highlighted. The episode concludes with an overview of the FDA's clinical hold on a Regenxbio gene therapy and discussion on Amgen stepping away from its OX40 partnership. *This episode aired on January 30, 2026.

From the JPM Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, Glenn Hunzinger brings together Sunil Patel of Merck and Sumit Khedekar of Citigroup for a conversation about where growth in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry is headed over the next five to ten years. They explore how scientific innovation, global sources of capital and talent, and a more forward looking approach to risk taking are shaping the future of healthcare, and why this moment may be pivotal for patients and the industry alike.Discussion highlights:Scientific innovation and unmet patient need remain the primary drivers of long term growth across pharma and biotechGlobal sources of innovation, including China, are reshaping licensing strategies and competitive dynamicsCompanies are increasingly willing to take calculated risk earlier in the drug development lifecycleValue creation depends on entering assets at the right inflection point rather than waiting for fully de risked launchesPayer dynamics, pricing pressure, and evolving consumer expectations are influencing how drugs are developed and commercializedSpeakers:Glenn Hunzinger, US Health Industries Leader, PwCSunil Patel, SVP, head of corporate development and business development & licensing, Merck Sumit Khedekar, Global head of Healthcare Investment Banking, CitigroupThis episode is also available as a video on our website: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/health-research-institute/next-in-health-podcast/where-will-growth-emerge-across-healthcare.htmlFor more information, please visit us at: https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/health-industries/health-research-institute/next-in-health-podcast.html.

The new HHS Health Guidelines prioritize “science” over “DEI,” according to a press release. They also prioritize America “culture,” which since WWII has become one of excess; and since the Cold War began, one of rugged individualism with no consideration for how diet and lifestyle could effect the larger society as a whole - culturally, economically, medically, etc. The new health guidelines also promote Big Dairy and Big Meat. Just one week after the new guidelines released, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act was signed into law, requiring schools to offer “at least two different options of fluid milk at lunch daily.” The White House is also cracking down on foreign owned meat packing cartels and domestic ones for illegal collusion. Considering how the 2017 sugar trade deal and the 2025 restrictions on sugar imports promoted domestic sugar use in sugary drinks, essentially promoting Big Junk, and considering how a May 5, 2025, White House directive and the May 12, 2025, executive order sought to facilitate “direct-to-consumer purchasing programs for pharmaceutical manufacturers that sell their products to American patients,” the HHS focus on Big Meat/Dairy is not merely a gift to Big Agriculture, but correlates with new SenseHub technology from Merck, the DOJ meatpacking investigation and meatpacking new automation. It also correlates to a potential promotion of artificially produced meats that will be needed to fulfill the need set by the HHS. Furthermore, to produce more meat companies will need more labor, which for meatpacking plants and slaughter-houses requires large numbers of traditionally illegal workers. In other words, they track record of the current administration, so far has spent more sugar, more drugs, more meat, more dairy, and protection of special interests.*The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, you can subscribe below underneath the show description.WEBSITEFREE ARCHIVE (w. ads)SUBSCRIPTION ARCHIVE-X / TWITTERFACEBOOKINSTAGRAMYOUTUBERUMBLE-BUY ME A COFFEECashApp: $rdgable PAYPAL: rdgable1991@gmail.comRyan's Books: https://thesecretteachings.info- EMAIL: rdgable@yahoo.com / rdgable1991@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-secret-teachings--5328407/support.

Disease accelerates years in a month. Cancer cells reveal which patients might be most impacted by metastasis - a diagnosis invisible on Earth. Single crystals heal themselves through mechanisms we can't explain. These aren't projections. They're validated results from 2022-2025 that made 40-year NASA veterans say they'd never seen anything like it.The economics flipped. Merck flew Keytruda 30 days, discovered a crystal form missed in a decade of labs - $20B/year by 2030, exceeding SpaceX's entire revenue. The thesis: Two paths to space affordability: cut launch costs 10x AND multiply payload value 1,000x. Do what Earth cannot do at any price.Paradigm Shifts:

Synopsis: Fresh from the JPM 2026 in San Francisco, Alok Tayi welcomes Johan Luthman, Executive Vice President of R&D at Lundbeck, for a sweeping, deeply personal conversation on the future of neuroscience drug development. From his early days as a Swedish clinician-scientist to leading breakthrough Alzheimer's programs and rebuilding Lundbeck's pipeline from the ground up, Johan shares the pivotal moments—and phone calls—that shaped a 30-year career across AstraZeneca, Merck, Serono, and now Denmark's neuroscience powerhouse. The discussion dives into Lundbeck's bold strategic reset: letting biology lead, de-risking early in patients, embracing rare disease and sleep medicine, and making disciplined bets on monoclonal antibodies, migraine prevention, epilepsy, and neuroendocrine disorders. Johan explains how the company shifted capital toward innovation, rebuilt its portfolio through targeted acquisitions, and built one of the most advanced neuroscience pipelines in pharma today. In one of the episode's most powerful moments, Johan opens up about his personal motivation—caring for family members with Alzheimer's and dedicating his career to diseases of the brain. From AI-driven R&D productivity and adaptive trials to Denmark's unique foundation-owned pharma model, this conversation is a masterclass in scientific rigor, decision-making under uncertainty, and keeping patients at the center of everything. Biography: In 1991, Johan Luthman began his career in the pharmaceutical industry in Astra, later AstraZeneca. In 2005, Johan joined Serono as Head of Neuroscience & Immunology Research, and subsequently, in MerckSerono, as Therapy Area Head, Neurology & Immunology. In 2009, he became CEO of biotech start-up GeNeuro. In late 2009, Johan joined Merck as VP & Franchise Integrator for Neuroscience and Ophthalmology. In 2014, he came to Eisai where he was Senior Vice President and Head of Clinical Development. Johan joined Lundbeck as Executive Vice President, R&D in March 2019. Johan is a Swedish national and is trained as a Doctor of Dental Sciences from the Karolinska Institute, Sweden. He also holds a PhD in Neurobiology and Histology as well as an Associate Professor title from the Karolinska Institute, Sweden. Johan is a Member of the Board of Directors of Brain+.

Vistazo a JPMorgan Chase & Co, Baker Hughes, Newmont, Freeport-Mc Moran, Merck y USA Rare Earth. Con Ignacio Vacchiano, responsable de distribución en España de LeverageShares.

In der heutigen Folge sprechen die Finanzjournalisten Anja Ettel und Philipp Vetter über Donald Trumps Auftritt in Davos, Zoff bei Lululemon, Optimismus bei US-Airlines und neue Nukelar-Euphorie. Außerdem geht es um United Airlines, Delta Airlines, American Airlines, Johnson&Johnson, Kraft Heinz, Berkshire Hathaway, NuScale Power, Nano Nuclear Energy, Oklo, enCore Energy, Uranium Energy, Nvidia, Siemens, ABB, Schneider Electric, Siemens Energy, Legrand, Prysmian, Safran, Rolls-Royce, Rheinmetall, NextEra Energy, Union Pacific, Enbridge, Duke Energy, SAP, Mastercard, Visa, Bank of America, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Pfizer, Merck, Eli Lilly, iShares Stoxx Europe 600 Industrials ETF (WKN: A0H08J), L&G Robotics and Automation ETF (WKN: A12DB1) und iShares Global Infrastructure ETF (WKN: A0LEW9). Wir freuen uns an Feedback über aaa@welt.de. Noch mehr "Alles auf Aktien" findet Ihr bei WELTplus und Apple Podcasts – inklusive aller Artikel der Hosts und AAA-Newsletter. Hier bei WELT: https://www.welt.de/podcasts/alles-auf-aktien/plus247399208/Boersen-Podcast-AAA-Bonus-Folgen-Jede-Woche-noch-mehr-Antworten-auf-Eure-Boersen-Fragen.html. Der Börsen-Podcast Disclaimer: Die im Podcast besprochenen Aktien und Fonds stellen keine spezifischen Kauf- oder Anlage-Empfehlungen dar. Die Moderatoren und der Verlag haften nicht für etwaige Verluste, die aufgrund der Umsetzung der Gedanken oder Ideen entstehen. Hörtipps: Für alle, die noch mehr wissen wollen: Holger Zschäpitz können Sie jede Woche im Finanz- und Wirtschaftspodcast "Deffner&Zschäpitz" hören. +++ Werbung +++ Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte! https://linktr.ee/alles_auf_aktien Impressum: https://www.welt.de/services/article7893735/Impressum.html Datenschutz: https://www.welt.de/services/article157550705/Datenschutzerklaerung-WELT-DIGITAL.html

In der heutigen Folge sprechen die Finanzjournalisten Anja Ettel und Philipp Vetter über den schlechtesten Tag an der Wallstreet seit dem Liberation Day, neue Netflix-Zahlen und jede Menge Pharma-Schlagzeilen. Außerdem geht es um Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Royal Caribbean, Netflix, Warner Brothers Discovery, Fresenius Medical Care, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Fresenius, Novavax, Pfizer, Moderna, Merck, GSK, ⁠RAPT Therapeutics, Qiagen, 3M und Disney. Wir freuen uns an Feedback über aaa@welt.de. Noch mehr "Alles auf Aktien" findet Ihr bei WELTplus und Apple Podcasts – inklusive aller Artikel der Hosts und AAA-Newsletter. Hier bei WELT: https://www.welt.de/podcasts/alles-auf-aktien/plus247399208/Boersen-Podcast-AAA-Bonus-Folgen-Jede-Woche-noch-mehr-Antworten-auf-Eure-Boersen-Fragen.html. Der Börsen-Podcast Disclaimer: Die im Podcast besprochenen Aktien und Fonds stellen keine spezifischen Kauf- oder Anlage-Empfehlungen dar. Die Moderatoren und der Verlag haften nicht für etwaige Verluste, die aufgrund der Umsetzung der Gedanken oder Ideen entstehen. Hörtipps: Für alle, die noch mehr wissen wollen: Holger Zschäpitz können Sie jede Woche im Finanz- und Wirtschaftspodcast "Deffner&Zschäpitz" hören. +++ Werbung +++ Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte! https://linktr.ee/alles_auf_aktien Impressum: https://www.welt.de/services/article7893735/Impressum.html Datenschutz: https://www.welt.de/services/article157550705/Datenschutzerklaerung-WELT-DIGITAL.html

Good morning from Pharma Daily: the podcast that brings you the most important developments in the pharmaceutical and biotech world. Today, we delve into the latest transformative movements within this dynamic arena, focusing on pivotal acquisitions, technological integrations, and regulatory updates shaping the future of healthcare solutions.Starting with strategic corporate maneuvers, Pfizer recently divested its 11.7% stake in GSK's ViiV Healthcare, a prominent player in HIV treatments. This $1.875 billion sale to Shionogi reflects Pfizer's strategy to offset anticipated revenue declines while fortifying Shionogi's position in the HIV treatment landscape. For GSK, the transaction brings a $250 million special dividend, highlighting competitive realignments as companies optimize portfolios in the lucrative HIV market.In another significant investment, Roche plans a $2 billion expansion at Genentech's North Carolina site to produce next-generation drugs targeting metabolic conditions like obesity. This move aligns with Roche's strategy to capture a growing market segment driven by the rising prevalence of obesity-related health issues globally.Exelixis is aggressively pursuing its ambition to become a top contender in the U.S. solid tumor market. With its flagship drug Cabometyx at the forefront, Exelixis anticipates promising Phase 3 results for new blockbuster candidates, underscoring its robust oncology-focused growth strategy. This field continues to attract substantial investment due to an unmet need for effective cancer therapies.Turning to regulatory landscapes, a landmark decision is anticipated from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the "skinny label" dispute between Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Amarin over generic Vascepa. This case could reshape patent litigation strategies and impact how generics are marketed against branded drugs, influencing future industry practices.Meanwhile, AbbVie and Genmab face reassessment after their Phase 3 trial for Epkinly in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma failed to meet survival endpoints. This outcome may prompt a strategic pivot towards pipeline diversification or new partnerships in oncology.Valneva recently withdrew its chikungunya vaccine Ixchiq from U.S. consideration following an FDA investigation into adverse events, highlighting the complex regulatory environment surrounding vaccine approvals and safety protocols. In contrast, Bristol Myers Squibb's collaboration with Microsoft aims to expedite lung cancer diagnosis using AI technology, reflecting a broader trend of integrating digital health solutions into drug development and patient care.GSK's acquisition of Rapt Therapeutics for $2.2 billion further emphasizes its commitment to innovative immunotherapies addressing unmet needs in food allergy treatments. This move aligns with trends towards personalized medicine as companies explore novel mechanisms for targeted therapeutic interventions.In scientific breakthroughs, Merck and Moderna report sustained efficacy in their cancer vaccine collaboration, showing a 49% reduction in melanoma risk over five years when combined with Keytruda. This sets a strong precedent for developing combination therapies that enhance long-term cancer treatment outcomes.Pfizer's $530 million agreement with Novavax seeks to leverage adjuvant technology across its vaccine programs, underscoring Pfizer's commitment to innovation amid ongoing competition within the vaccine market.Oncology advancements continue as AstraZeneca secures full rights to an armored CAR-T therapy from Abelzeta for $630 million. Targeting glypican-3 proteins associated with certain cancers, this acquisition highlights AstraZeneca's push into advanced cell therapies that promise revolutionary cancer care solutions.Beyond these corporate strategies, ARPA-H envisions transcending traditional vaccine technologies through innovative solutions that could render vSupport the show

The latest guest on The PR Week podcast is one of the best-known in-house communications executives in the industry: Jonathan Adashek, senior vice president of marketing and communications at IBM. He talks about how IBM's leadership set a clear course for the company in areas such as AI and technology at large and why former CEO Louis Gerstner has been rightly credited with “saving” the company. Plus, the biggest marketing and communications news of the week, including people moves at Carnival Cruise Line, Avoq and Merck; an intriguing midsize agency acquisition and Bombas' reaction to being made a joke at the Golden Globes. PRWeek.comTheme music provided by TRIPLE SCOOP MUSICJaymes - First One Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A rocky start to the week as the market looks on with unease at the latest Trump administration move against Fed independence, but the move could also be about this story reinforcing a wider pattern. Elsewhere, Merck is pursuing a giant acquisition, earnings season is set to kick off tomorrow and more. Today's pod hosted by Saxo Global Head of Macro Strategy John J. Hardy.  Sign up for the webinar John will host with Chief Economist at CME Group Erik Norland on the outlook across markets - tomorrow at 1200 GMT. Links discussed on the podcast and our Chart of the Day can be found on the John J. Hardy substack (within one to four hours from the time of the podcast release). Read daily in-depth market updates from the Saxo Market Call and the Saxo Strategy Team here. Please reach out to us at marketcall@saxobank.com for feedback and questions. Click here to open an account with Saxo. Intro and outro music by AShamaluevMusic DISCLAIMER This content is marketing material. Trading financial instruments carries risks. Always ensure that you understand these risks before trading. This material does not contain investment advice or an encouragement to invest in a particular manner. Historic performance is not a guarantee of future results. The instrument(s) referenced in this content may be issued by a partner, from whom Saxo Bank A/S receives promotional fees, payment or retrocessions. While Saxo may receive compensation from these partnerships, all content is created with the aim of providing clients with valuable information and options.

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On this week's episode of the Business of Biotech, we're speaking with Kenneth Galbraith, CEO and Board Chair at Zymeworks, a biotech developing multispecific therapies internally and through partnerships with companies including Jazz Pharmaceuticals and BeOne Medicines (formerly BeiGene), J&J, Merck, Daiichi Sankyo, and GSK. Ken talks about Zymeworks' shift to a royalty model for development funding and value creation, lessons learned from platform deals and cross-border R&D, the benefits of strong royalty agreements and backloaded milestone payments over headline upfronts, and industry dynamics for the coming year. Ken also shares insights from his deep experiences as a biotech investor and corporate director, and explains why scientific primacy should always drive biotech business decisions.         Access this and hundreds of episodes of the Business of Biotech videocast under the Business of Biotech tab at lifescienceleader.com. Subscribe to our monthly Business of Biotech newsletter. Get in touch with guest and topic suggestions: ben.comer@lifescienceleader.comFind Ben Comer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencomer/

Dr. Hope Rugo and Dr. Vivek Subbiah discuss innovative trial designs to enable robust studies for smaller patient populations, as well as the promise of precision medicine, novel therapeutic approaches, and global partnerships to advance rare cancer research and improve patient outcomes. TRANSCRIPT  Dr. Hope Rugo: Hello and welcome to By the Book, a podcast series from ASCO that features engaging conversations between editors and authors of the ASCO Educational Book. I am your host, Dr. Hope Rugo. I am the director of the Women's Cancers Program and division chief of breast medical oncology at the City of Hope Cancer Center [in Los Angeles]. The field of rare cancer research is rapidly transforming thanks to progress in clinical trials and treatment strategies, as well as improvements in precision medicine and next-generation sequencing that enable biomarker identification. According to the National Cancer Institute, rare cancers occur in fewer than 150 cases per million each year, but collectively, they represent a significant portion of all cancer diagnoses. And we struggle with the appropriate treatment for these rare cancers in clinical practice. Today, I am delighted to be joined by Dr. Vivek Subbiah, a medical oncologist and the chief of early-phase drug development at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Subbiah is the lead author of a paper in the ASCO Educational Book titled "Designing Clinical Trials for Patients with Rare Cancers: Connecting the Zebras," a great title for this topic. He will be telling us about innovative trial designs to enable robust studies for small patient populations, the promise of precision medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches to improve outcomes, and how we can leverage AI now to enroll more patients with rare cancers in clinical trials. Our full disclosures are available in the transcript of this episode.  Dr. Subbiah, it is great to have you on the podcast today. Thanks so much for being here. Dr. Vivek Subbiah: Thank you so much, Dr. Rugo, and it is an honor and pleasure being here. And thank you for doing this podcast for rare cancers. Dr. Hope Rugo: Absolutely. We are excited to talk to you. And congratulations on this fantastic paper. It is such a great resource for our community to better understand what is new in the field of rare cancer research. Of course, rare cancers are complex and multifaceted diseases. And this is a huge challenge for clinical oncologists. You know, our clinics, of course, cannot be designed as we are being very uni-cancer focused to just be for one cancer that is very rare. So, oncologists have to be a jack of all trades in this area. Your paper notes that there are approximately 200 distinct types of rare and ultra-rare cancers. And, by definition, all pediatric cancers are rare cancers. Of course, clinical trials are essential for developing new treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes, and in your paper, you highlight some unique challenges in conducting trials in this rare cancer space. Can you tell us about the challenges and how really innovative trial designs, I think a key issue, are being tailored to the specific needs of patients with rare cancer and, importantly, for these trials? Dr. Vivek Subbiah: Rare cancers present a perfect storm of challenges. First, the patient populations are very small, which makes it really hard to recruit enough participants for traditional type trials. Second, these patients are often geographically dispersed across multiple cities, across multiple states, across multiple countries, across multiple zip codes. So, logistics become complicated. Third, there is often limited awareness among clinicians, which delays referrals and diagnosis. Add to that regulatory hurdles, funding constraints, and you can see why rare cancer trials are so tough to execute. To overcome these barriers, we are seeing some really creative novel trial designs. And there are four different types of trial designs that are helping with enrolling patients with rare cancers. The first one is the basket trial. So let us talk about what basket studies are. Basket studies group patients based on shared genetic biomarkers or shared genetic mutations rather than tumor type. So instead of running separate 20 to 30 to 40 trials, you can study one therapy across multiple cancers. The second type of trial is the umbrella trial. The umbrella trials flip that concept of basket studies. They focus on one cancer type but test multiple targeted therapies within it. The third category of innovative trials are the platform studies. Platform trials are another exciting innovation. They allow new treatment arms to be added or removed as the data matures and as the data evolves, making trials more adaptive and efficient. The final category are decentralized tools in traditional trials, which are helping patients participate closer to where they are so that they can sleep in their own bed, which is, I think, a game changer for accessibility.  These designs maximize efficiency and feasibility for rare cancer research and rare cancer clinical trials. Dr. Hope Rugo: I love the idea of the platform trials that are decentralized. And I know that there is a trial being worked on with ARPA-H (Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health) funding in triple-negative breast cancer as well as in lung cancer, I think, and others with this idea of a platform trial. But it is challenged, I think, by precision medicine and next-generation sequencing where some patients do not have targetable markers, or there isn't a drug to target the marker. I think those are almost the same thing. We have really seen that these precision medicine ideas and NGS have moved the needle in helping to identify genetic alterations. This helps us to be more personalized. It actually helps with platform studies to customize trial enrollment. And we hope that this will result in better outcomes. It also allows us, I think, to study drugs even in the early stage setting more effectively. How can these advances be best applied to the future of rare cancers, as well as the challenges of not finding a marker or not having a drug? Dr. Vivek Subbiah: Thank you so much for that question. I think precision medicine and next-gen sequencing, or NGS, are truly the backbone of modern precision oncology. They have transformed how we think about cancer treatment. Instead of treating based on where the tumor originated or where the tumor started, we now look at the genetic blueprint of cancer. The NGS or next-gen sequencing allows us to sequence millions of DNA fragments quickly. Twenty, 30 years ago, they said we cannot sequence a human genome. Then it took almost a decade to sequence the first human genome. Right now, we have academic centers and commercial sequencing companies that are really democratizing NGS across all sites, not just in academic centers, across all the community sites, so that NGS is now accessible. This means that we can identify these actionable alterations like picking needles in haystacks, like NTRK fusions, RET fusions, or BRAF V600E alterations, high tumor mutational burden. This might occur across not one tumor type, across several different tumor types. So for rare cancers, this is critical because some of these mutations often define the best treatment option. Here is why this matters. Personalized therapy, right? Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we can tailor treatment to the patient's unique molecular profile. For trial enrollment, this can definitely help because patients can join biomarker-driven trials even if their cancer type is rare or ultra-rare. NGS technology has also helped us in designing rational studies. Many times monotherapy does not work in these cancers. So we are thinking about rational combination strategies. So NGS technology is helping us. Looking ahead, I see NGS becoming routine in clinical practice, not just at major niche academic centers, but everywhere. We will see more tumor-agnostic approvals, more molecular tumor boards guiding treatment decisions in real time. And I think we are seeing an expanded biomarker setup. Previously, we used to have only a few drugs and a handful of mutations. Now with homologous recombination defects, BRCA1/2 mutation, and expanding the HRD and also immunohistochemistry, we are expanding the biomarker portfolio. So again, I personally believe that the future is precision. What I mean by precision is delivering the right drug to the right patient at the right time. And for rare cancers, this isn't just progress. It is survival. And it is maybe the only way that they can have access to these cutting-edge precision medicines. Dr. Hope Rugo: That is so important. You mentioned an important area we will get to in a moment, the tumor-agnostic therapies. But as part of talking about that, do you think that the trials should also include just standard therapies? You know, who do you give an ADC to and when with these rare cancers? Because some of them do not have biomarkers to target and it is so disappointing for patients and providers where you are trying to screen a patient for a trial or a platform trial where you have one arm with this mutation, one arm with that, and they do not qualify because they only have a p53 loss, you know? They just do not have the marker that helps them. But we see this in breast cancer all the time. And it is tough because we don't have good information on the sequencing. So I wonder, you know, just because for some of these rare cancers it is not even clear what to use when with standard treatments. And then that kind of gets into this idea of the tumor-agnostic therapies that you mentioned. There are a lot of new treatments that are being evaluated. We have seen approval of some treatments in the last few years that are tumor-agnostic and based on a biomarker. Is that the best approach as we go forward for rare cancers? And what new treatment options are most exciting to you right now? Dr. Vivek Subbiah: Tumor-agnostic therapies, really close to my heart, are real breakthrough therapies and represent a major paradigm shift in oncology. Traditionally, for the broad listeners here, we are used to thinking about designing clinical trials and therapy like where the cancer originated, breast cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer. A tumor-agnostic therapy flips that model. Instead of focusing on the organ, they target the specific genetic alteration or biomarker that drives cancer growth regardless of where the tumor started, regardless of the location of the tumor, regardless of the zip code of the tumor. So why is this so important for rare cancers? Because many rare cancers share molecular features with more common cancers. For instance, NTRK fusion might occur in pediatric sarcoma, a salivary gland tumor, or a thyroid cancer. Historically, each of these would require separate trials, which is nearly impossible, unfeasible to conduct in these ultra-rare cancers like salivary gland cancer or pediatric sarcomas. Tumor-agnostic therapies allow us to treat all those cancers with the same targeted drug if they share that biomarker. Again, we are in 2025. The first tissue-agnostic approval, the historic precedent, was in fact an immunotherapy. Pembrolizumab was approved in 2017, May 2017, as the first immunotherapy to be approved in a tumor-agnostic way for a genomic biomarker, for MSI-High and dMMR cancers. Then came the NTRK inhibitors. So today we have not one, not two, but three different NTRK inhibitors: larotrectinib, entrectinib, and repotrectinib, which show response rates of nearly more than 60 to 75% across a handful of dozens and dozens of cancer types. Then, of course, we have RET inhibitors like selpercatinib, which is approved tissue-agnostic, and pralsetinib, which also shows tissue-agnostic activity across multiple cancers. And more recently, combination therapy with a BRAF and MEK combination, dabrafenib and trametinib, received tumor-agnostic approval for all BRAF V600E tumors with the exception of colorectal cancer. And even recently, you mentioned about antibody drug conjugates. Again, I think we live in an era of antibody drug conjugates. And Enhertu, trastuzumab deruxtecan, which was used first in breast cancer, now it is approved in a histology-agnostic manner for all HER2-positive tumors defined by immunohistochemistry 3+. So again, beyond NGS, now immunohistochemistry for HER2 is also becoming a biomarker. So again, for the broad listeners here, in addition to comprehensive NGS that may allow patients to find treatment options for these rare cancers for NTRK, RET, and BRAF, immunohistochemistry for HER2 positivity is also emerging as a biomarker given that we have a new FDA approval for this. So I would say personally that these therapies are game changers because they open doors for patients who previously had no options. Instead of waiting for years for a trial in their specific cancer type, they can access a treatment based on their molecular profile. I think it is precision medicine at its finest and best. Looking ahead, the third question you asked me is what is exciting going on? I think we will see more of these approvals. My hope is that today, I think we have nine to ten approvals. My hope is that within the next 25 to 50 years, we will have at least 50 to 100 drugs approved in this space based on a biomarker, not based on a location of the tumor type. Drug targeting rare alterations like FGFR2 fusions, FGFR amplifications, ALK fusions, and even complex signatures like high tumor mutational burden. I think we will be seeing hopefully more and more drugs approved. And as sequencing becomes routine, we will identify more patients for these therapies. I think for rare cancers, this is not just innovative approach. This is essential for them to access these novel precision medicines. Dr. Hope Rugo: Yeah, that is such a good point. I do think it is critical. Interestingly in breast cancer, it hasn't been, you know, there is always like two patients in these tumor-agnostic trials, or if that. You know, I think I have seen one NTRK fusion ever. I think that highlights the importance for rare cancers. And you know, I am hoping that that will translate into some new directions for some of our rarer and impossible-to-treat subtypes of breast cancer. It is this kind of research that is really going to make a difference. But what about those people who do not have biomarkers? What if you do not fit into that? Do you think there is a possibility of trying to do treatments for rare cancers in some prospective way that would help with that? You know, it is really a huge challenge. Dr. Vivek Subbiah: Absolutely. I think, you know, you're right, usually many of these rare cancers are driven by specific biomarkers. And again, some of the pediatric salivary gland tumors or pediatric sarcomas like fibrosarcomas, they are pathognomonic with NTRK fusions. And again, given that we have a tumor-agnostic approval, now these patients have access to these therapies. And I do not think that we would have had a trial just for pediatric fibrosarcomas with NTRK fusions. So that is one way. Another way is SWOG, right? The SWOG DART [1609] had this combination dual checkpoint, it was called the DART study dual combination chemotherapy with ipi/nivo. Now here the rare cancer subtype itself becomes a biomarker and they showed activity across multiple rare cancer subtypes. They didn't require a biomarker. As long as it was a rare or ultra-rare cancer, these patients were enrolled into the SWOG DART trial and multiple arms have read out. Angiosarcoma, Kaposi sarcoma, even gestational trophoblastic disease. Again, they have shown responses in these ultra-rare, rare cancers. Sometimes they might be seeing one or two cases a whole year. And I think this SWOG effort, this cooperative group effort, really highlighted the need for such studies without biomarkers as well. Dr. Hope Rugo: That is such a fantastic example of how to try and treat patients in a collaborative way. And in the paper, you also emphasize the need for collaborative research efforts, you know, uniting resource expertise across different ways of doing research. So cooperative groups, advocacy organizations that can really help advance rare cancer research, improve access to new therapies, and I think importantly influence policy changes. I think this already happened with the agnostic approvals. Could you tell us more about that? How can we move forward with this most effectively? Dr. Vivek Subbiah: Personally, I believe that collaboration is absolutely critical and essential for rare cancer research. No single institution, no single individual, or no single state or entity can tackle these challenges alone. The patient populations are small and dispersed. So pooling resources is the only way to run these meaningful trials. Again, it is not like singing, it is like putting a huge, huge, I would say, an opera piece together. It is not a solo, vocal therapy, but rather putting a huge opera piece like Turandot. You know, you mentioned cooperative groups. Cooperative groups, as I mentioned earlier, the SWOG DART program, the ASCO [TAPUR study]. ASCO is doing a phenomenal work of the TAPUR study. Again, this ASCO TAPUR program has enrolled so many patients with rare cancers who otherwise would not have treatment options. NCI-MATCH, the global effort, right? NCI-MATCH and the ComboMATCH are great examples. They bring together hundreds of sites, thousands of clinicians to run large-scale trials that would be impossible for any individual center or institution. These trials have already changed practice. For instance, the DART demonstrated the power of immunotherapy in rare cancers and influenced NCCN guidelines. One of the arms of the NCI-MATCH study from the BRAF V600E arm contributed towards the BRAF V600E tissue-agnostic approval. So, the BRAF V600E tissue-agnostic approval was by a pooled analysis of several studies. The ROAR study, the Rare Oncology Agnostic Research study, the NCI-MATCH dataset of tumor-agnostic cohort, and another pediatric trial, and also evidence from literature and evidence of case reports. And all this pooled analysis contributed to the tissue-agnostic approval of BRAF V600E across multiple rare cancers. There are several patient advocacy organizations which are the real unsung heroes here. Groups like, for instance, we mentioned in the paper, Target Cancer Foundation, don't just raise awareness for rare cancer research, they actively connect patients to trials providing financial, emotional support, and even run their own studies like the TRACK trial. They also influence policy to make access easier. On a global scale, initiatives like DRUP in the Netherlands, the ROME study in Italy, the PCM4EU in Europe are expanding precision medicine across these borders. These collaborations accelerate research, improve trial enrollment, and ensure patients everywhere can have access to these cutting-edge therapies. Again, it is truly a team effort, right? It is a multi-stakeholder approach. Researchers, clinicians, investigators, industry, regulators, academia, patients, patient advocates, and their caregivers all working together. And it takes a village. Dr. Hope Rugo: Absolutely. I mean, what a nice response to that. And I think really exciting and it is great to see your passion about this as well. But it helps all of us, I think, getting discouraged in treating these cancers to understand what is happening moving forward. And I think it is also a fabulous opportunity for our junior colleagues as they rise up in academics to be involved in these international collaborative efforts which are further expanding. One of the things that comes up for clinical trials for patients, and I think it is highlighted with rare cancers because, as you mentioned, people are all over the place, you know, they are so rare. They are all far away. Our patients are always saying to us, "Should I go here for a phase 1 trial?" Can you talk a little bit about how we can overcome these financial and geographic burdens for the patients? You talked about having trials locally, but it is a big financial and just social burden for patients. Dr. Vivek Subbiah: Great point. Financial cost is a major barrier in rare cancer clinical trials. It is a major barrier not just in rare cancer clinical trials, but in clinical trials in general. The economics of rare cancer research are one of the toughest challenges we face. Developing a new drug is already expensive, often billions of dollars. On an average, it takes 2 billion dollars or 2.8 billion dollars according to some data from drug discovery to approval. For rare cancers, the market is tiny, which means the pharmaceutical companies have really little financial incentive to invest. That is why initiatives like the Orphan Drug Act were created to provide tax credits, grants, and market exclusivity to encourage development for rare diseases. Clinical trials themselves are expensive because the small patient populations mean longer recruitment times and higher per-patient costs. Geographic dispersion, as you mentioned, for the patients adds travel, coordination. That is why we need to think out of the box about decentralized trial infrastructure so that we can mitigate some of these expenses. Complex trial designs like basket or platform trials sometimes require sophisticated data systems and regulatory oversight. That is a challenge. And I think some of the pragmatic studies like ASCO TAPUR have overcome those challenges. Advanced technologies like next-gen sequencing and molecular profiling also add significant upfront cost to this. Funding is also limited because rare cancers receive less attention compared to common cancers. Public funding and cooperative group trials help a lot, but I think they cannot cover everything. Patient advocacy organizations sometimes step in to bridge these gaps, but sustainable financing remains a huge challenge. So, the bottom line is without financial incentives and collaborating funding models, many promising therapies for rare cancers would never make it to patients. That is why we need system-wide policy changes, global partnerships, and innovative, effective, seamless trial designs which are so critical so that they can help reduce the cost and make research feasible so that we can deliver the right drug to the right patient at the right time. Dr. Hope Rugo: There is a lot of excitement about the future integration of AI in screening. Just at the San Antonio Breast Cancer meetings, we have a number of different presentations about AI to find markers, even like HER2, and using AI where you would screen and then match patients to clinical trials. Do you have any guidance for the rare cancer community on how to leverage this technology in order to optimize patient enrollment and, I think, identification of the best treatment matches? Dr. Vivek Subbiah: I think artificial intelligence, AI, is a game-changer in the making. Right now, clinical trial is clunky. Matching patients to trial is often manual, time consuming, laborious. You need a lot of personnel to do that. AI can automate this process by analyzing genomic data, medical records, and trial eligibility criteria to find the best matches quickly, accurately, and effectively. For the community, the key is to invest in data standardization and interoperability because AI needs clean, structured data to work effectively. Dr. Hope Rugo: Thank you so much, Dr. Subbiah, for sharing these fantastic insights with us on the podcast today and for your excellent article. Dr. Vivek Subbiah: Thank you so much. Dr. Hope Rugo: We thank you, our listeners, for joining us today. You will find a link to Dr. Subbiah's Educational Book article in the transcript of this episode. And please join us again next month on By the Book for more insightful views on key issues and innovations that are shaping modern oncology.  Thank you. Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. Follow today's speakers:        Dr. Hope Rugo   @hoperugo   Dr. Vivek Subbiah @VivekSubbiah Follow ASCO on social media:        ASCO on X  ASCO on Bluesky       ASCO on Facebook        ASCO on LinkedIn        Disclosures:       Dr. Hope Rugo:    Honoraria: Mylan/Viatris, Chugai Pharma   Consulting/Advisory Role: Napo Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, Bristol Myer   Research Funding (Inst.): OBI Pharma, Pfizer, Novartis, Lilly, Merck, Daiichi Sankyo, AstraZeneca, Gilead Sciences, Hoffman La-Roche AG/Genentech, In., Stemline Therapeutics, Ambryx   Dr. Vivek Subbiah: Consulting/Advisory Role: Loxo/Lilly, Illumina, AADI, Foundation Medicine, Relay Therapeutics, Pfizer, Roche, Bayer, Incyte, Novartis, Pheon Therapeutics, Abbvie Research Funding (Inst.): Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, NanoCarrier, Northwest Biotherapeutics, Genentech/Roche, Berg Pharma, Bayer, Incyte, Fujifilm, PharmaMar, D3 Oncology Solutions, Pfizer, Amgen, Abbvie, Mutlivir, Blueprint Medicines, Loxo, Vegenics, Takeda, Alfasigma, Agensys, Idera, Boston Biomedical, Inhibrx, Exelixis, Amgen, Turningpoint Therapeutics, Relay Therapeutics Other Relationship: Medscape, Clinical Care Options

The 5 things you need to know before the stock market opens today: Merck is reportedly in talks to buy cancer drugmaker Revolution Medicines, fitness tracking app Strava will confidentially file for an IPO, Saks may be nearing a deal for a bankruptcy financing package of over $1B, Paramount Skydance is exploring adding strategic partners to its stake in MTV, and NASA will bring a crew home from space after they detected a “serious medical condition” aboard the ISS.  Squawk Box is hosted by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin.  Follow Squawk Pod for the best moments, interviews and analysis from our TV show in an audio-first format. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.